Saving Sasuke
by LadyKimmey
Summary: In a shinobi's greatest time of need, the one he abandoned will make him question his dream. The other left for dead, the one he wronged will have him doubting his beliefs. For the two that have risked everything, they will become the enemies of all. SasXSak, HidxIno. Warnings in chapters. Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and I am broker than a ho on skid ro, so I'm definitely not making any money from writing this fanfic.

A/N: Don't like my pairings, don't click dammit. Those that have with the intention of reading, thank you. I'm not sure if there is a fic similar or with the same concept. I haven't read them all, it's not possible. I came up with the idea for it myself, so if it is like another's I can't help that. My typing is coming straight out my tiny mind, not off someone's page. I do hope this is somewhat different and interesting for the readers. With that, on with the chapter.

Warnings: None really for this chapter. I will be using numbers for the scene breaks since I can't figure out why when I upload it still mashes it all together. Hope this works.

Chapter One

It was a nightmare. Tsunade rubbed her temples as the many voices tried to be overheard, over the one it was sitting next to. Things weren't going well for the village. The impulse to walk away from her position struck her again as a whistle split the large room. The only person that wasn't speaking was the shinobi standing in the middle and herself. She had her say at the beginning of the meeting. A meeting or a trial? The council deemed it was something worthy of being called a trial. It was a sad mockery of the many reasons she hated being the Hokage. This was going to be another decision that would leave a sour taste in her mouth. As the Hokage she had been given a say but her word wasn't final, not when the crimes were this severe.

How much longer? Sasuke Uchiha kept a blank stare as he listened to his many crimes, some real and some he wasn't aware of committing, were tossed about the room. He should have known better than to try to return. Just because a few friends had wanted his return, it didn't guarantee a warm welcome. After the battle the village had given him a month to get comfortable before striking. Ten ANBU had shown up in the middle of the night to drag him away in chains. His chakra had been sealed before his back had come off of the mattress. He should have fought but he had wanted to do the right thing by going along with the group.

That decision had landed him where he was. Standing in the middle of a room, surrounded by idiots that thought to toss his mistakes in his face. He just wanted it to be over with. What kind of sentence was he to be given?

"Need we remind you that the Uchiha gave aid in the last battle? I'm not suggesting we completely pardon his past actions. However, shouldn't we be able to show some leniency?" Tsunade spoke loudly. She had made a promise to Naruto this morning to do what she could for his friend. The boy had managed to return from the dark, he deserved a second chance.

"That is blasphemy."

"And forget that he aligned himself with enemies of our village on several occasions?"

"You are suggesting we overlook murder, betrayal and abandonment." There were many nods of agreement.

"The punishment for abandoning the village is instant death. Not only are you asking us to overlook that crime but he has added many more during his time as a rogue-nin." A council member slammed his fist down on the round table.

"I agree. Assisting in one battle may have been enough to overlook the crime of desertion. However, the Uchiha has proven himself to be unstable and unreliable. Allowing him to return as if he alone is above our laws is unthinkable. Not even you, the Hokage, are above the laws."

Did that mean they weren't going to allow him to remain in the village? Sasuke felt a twinge of despair at the thought. How was he to fulfill his brother's dream of protecting the village, if he wasn't allowed to continue his services as a shinobi?

"Then we don't let him continue on as a shinobi. We strip him of his duties." Tsunade suggested, trying to get a light sentence. The group looked ready to form a lynch mob. Naruto wouldn't be happy if Sasuke wouldn't be allowed to return as a shinobi. It was better than time in prison.

"Not good enough, nowhere good enough."

"Hiwigara speaks the truth." A bald man with chubby cheeks spoke from directly behind him. "There has been plenty of talk since his return. Our people are trying to rebuild and heal. Still, many walk around in fear due to the Uchiha returning. They say if we will allow such a powerful enemy to walk freely in their home, how safe are they? How can we say we will see to their safety, since we obviously fear one small boy, because why else would we allow him to walk freely? Not only free but with every intention of returning as a shinobi?"

"Only one thing will set the people at ease." Hiwigara, a slender man with thinning, grey hair narrowed hate-filled eyes on the traitor. "We must make an example of the traitor, Sasuke Uchiha."

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The ground was soft beneath her fingers. There was nothing she enjoyed more than being surrounded by nature. Not a soul was nearby, allowing her to enjoy the peace. Ino Yamanaka had chosen this spot for a reason. Not long had passed since that battle. How many weeks? She had lost count. How many days? So much had happened since then.

It was in this spot the trap had been laid. Shikamaru had avenged their fallen sensei in these woods. She hadn't been able to witness the end of the man's death. Why had she come to this spot?

The dreams had brought her to this place. The thoughts that had been plaguing her mind had brought her here. She had woken up before dawn in a state of panic. Not wanting to disturb Sakura, she had left their small apartment.

Why couldn't she let it go? Why did it feel like the anger was turning into a hard ball of contempt? Was it possible to hate her Sensei? She had lost one, she was beginning to hate the other. Hokage or no, some things couldn't be overlooked. The voice was starting to echo in her mind in the waking hours. Her friends would be upset to learn that she was hearing things. Not just hearing someone speaking, but she had felt the need to visit these woods for days now. This morning she had noticed, that she was indeed walking in this direction. Shikamaru wasn't around to prevent her from doing so. Last week she had found herself aimlessly walking, only to end up just inside the tree line. Her old teammate had rushed to her, saying it was best if no one bothered the forest.

The earth was still torn up in a circle. Buried deep beneath her fingers was the man that had slain her sensei. He wasn't dead or really alive, much like herself. That's why she had felt the need to come out. To connect with the one person that could possibly understand how she felt. She felt stuck in a rut. Her life didn't have a direction. She had no boyfriend, no one to share her moments with. Her parents were gone, no family to want her home.

Now, she wasn't sure if she even had her role as a Leaf kunoichi. The doubt was making it hard to want to continue. How could she keep serving the village? Was it possible to protect something you were slowly coming to hate? What had her parents died for? What had they all fought for?

The last few days had been a blur, not really existing in her mind. The only real emotion that had filled her was the need to get to this place. Was it at this moment when her life began to fall apart? Having to watch her sensei die? Having to face the fact of death. She felt dead inside. Torn between what to do.

Why couldn't she be strong like Sakura or Tenten? Would they have shied away from a mission? Do a half-ass job because they didn't agree to the request of the client? Ugh, she didn't know. It made her want to pull her hair, shout at those that put her in this position and hit something. She just wanted a sign. Something! Something so she didn't feel so lost and hopeless. What path should she take?

A sob tore from her throat, making it hard to breathe. Tears rolled down her cheeks as no answer came. Blue eyes blinked in confusion catching the movement. A gust of wind stirred, nothing was moving. The air was shifting the dirt aside on top of the grave. Something silver was revealed to be protruding from the ground. What was that? The chain was busted, dirty and starting to rust. The pendant caught her attention, it was shiny and untouched. Where had she seen it before? Only for a moment, during the battle. That man had been wearing it. What was it doing here? Shouldn't it have been buried with the rogue-nin? Why was it warm to the touch?

Ino palmed the medallion and stood. Soon, she'd have to make a decision. Would it be the right one?

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"Don't worry so much, Sakura!" Naruto placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. They were all taking the news hard. He had woken to a home filled with ANBU. They had instructed him not to interfere. He had to watch as they sealed his friend and drug him away in chains. He had wanted to do something, anything to reassure Sasuke that he would be there for him.

Shouldn't they all be worried? Sakura couldn't understand how Naruto could be so positive about this. They didn't send that many after one shinobi. Not if they just wanted to give him a slap on the wrist. That many, the council didn't want to risk him fleeing and avoiding punishment. It was wrong for them to wait weeks before doing something. Sasuke should have known not to come back. This wasn't his home anymore. People were people no matter what was happening. Many had lost loved ones, their homes and they didn't forgive easy. A lot of people were placing the blame on Sasuke's shoulders simply because he was from the Uchiha clan.

There was talk of how their village would never be safe until the last of the Uchiha was wiped out. It meant that many wanted him dead. The council was an extension of the people. What chance did their friend have when most of the people wanted him to pay for his crimes and those of the Uchiha before him?

"It's not going to turn out like you think, Naruto." She adored her sensei but Lady Tsunade was but one voice. Serious crimes were judged by a council, not their Hokage. Desertion was a crime punishable by death, Sasuke's punishment wouldn't be light.

Nah, he had complete trust in Grandma-Tsunade. She would make them see that Sasuke was back to his old self and that having him back was a good thing. Their old teammate was still withdrawn and moody, but his eyes were different. "He'll probably end up on probation."

Not likely. Death was the penalty for his crimes and he had committed many. Sasuke was just lucky he could only be put to death once. Sakura didn't want to speak her fears, for fear it would come true. As long as she didn't say it, there was a chance he would be set free. She had given up on his heart already, but she didn't want him to die.

They hadn't spoken after being released from the hospital after the battle against the Ten Tailed. The only words she had managed was 'Welcome Home'. Sasuke had simply nodded in acknowledgement. It had hurt too much to watch him be welcomed so warmly by the others and him accepting the attention. The only person that hadn't rushed to talk to him had been Ino. Instead, her best friend had walked over to her and asked if she was okay with this outcome. She wasn't but she had made a promise to herself. No longer would she chase after hopeless dreams.

The two missions she had gone on with her teammates had been quick and easy. Naruto had done all of the talking. Her heart couldn't withstand any more disappointment. She still carried feelings for him, always would. Chasing him was something she'd never do again. With the loss of all hope, all she had was pride.

"Why don't we go get something to eat? They will probably take a few more hours to properly lecture him." Naruto was worried about his friend, he just didn't want to show Sakura how much. They had to be strong and trust in the fairness of their village. "I'll even pay."

"No thanks, I'm not that hungry. I'm going to go wait for their decision." She wanted to speak to Tsunade as soon as the council convened. Would they put him on trial? She had to know. Without saying goodbye, she headed back towards the large building. Somewhere inside he was being judged and demeaned. They would throw every rumor and crime at him. How persuasive could the Hokage be?

What could they do if the council decided not to allow Sasuke to remain? What if he had to leave? Just when they got him back, they would lose him again. Would he return to the way he was? The cold, ruthless Sasuke that had almost struck her down without hesitation. If not for Kakashi-sensei she'd be dead. It was in that moment she realized that her feelings would never be returned. Not only would he never care for her as a true friend, he would never love her.

Her heart leapt in her throat seeing the blonde woman stepping outside. It meant that the meeting was over. How harsh could the punishment be if they were already finished with their meeting? Her sensei stopped walking seeing her coming. "Tsunade-sensei. "

"What are you doing here, Sakura?" Why did her pupil have to be the first one to find her? She had assumed it would be Naruto. Her heart felt heavy seeing the hopeful look.

"Is the meeting over? Where is Sasuke?" Why wasn't he coming out as well? Where was he? She wouldn't talk to him when he exited, just seeing his face would set her mind at ease. "What's wrong, Sensei?"

"Sakura, I'm not sure how to tell you this. The meeting is over and," Tsunade saw the panic. There was no way to sugarcoat the final decision. "The vote was ten to two. Sasuke Uchiha will be held responsible for all of his crimes. The punishment is death by public execution."

Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for clicking.

Warnings: Mild Language

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. And I'm still broke.

Chapter Two

The room was eerily quiet. No sound accompanied the hot tears. Tears filled with many emotions, mostly despair. Ino hadn't been able to hold back the tears when Sakura had rushed home and threw arms around her in a need for comfort. Her best friend had begun to sob uncontrollably and recapped what had been decided. She could actually feel Sakura's heart breaking. Not only were they going to terminate Sasuke, they were going to make a mockery of his death.

What was the point? Ino let the question consume her brain, the rage that accompanied it was acceptable. Hadn't they all sworn allegiance once? What was the point of swearing to protect your village? To be a shinobi that would die in order to protect their village, when that very same village wouldn't protect their shinobi? What kind of allies were they? To so easily turn their backs on one of their own?

Tears began to fall thinking of Sasuke all alone in that place. How must he feel? All the friends that had once welcomed him home with smiles, were just turning their backs. The only one that seemed to not be able to accept this outcome was Naruto. Not counting herself and Sakura. Still, all the blonde was doing was throwing a fit and demanding to speak to the council. All the others had sighed and accepted the verdict. How could they? She no longer held any romantic notions towards the only remaining Uchiha but she couldn't easily discount that he was one of them.

What couldn't they understand? Sasuke had been so young when something tragic happened to him. What would that do to a child? Was it any wonder that he had ran off? His actions were the end result of an action once condoned by the council. It was all so confusing, the many workings that had resulted in the loss of many lives. Was it really Sasuke's fault that he had turned out the way he had? Didn't it show strength of character, to actually be able to return from that path? He had returned to the place he thought as his home. They fucking owed him! Yet, the village was behaving like a bunch of hypocritical bastards.

How? How could she continue to serve a place that turned its back on someone so lost and lonely? Who were they to judge? All the years of trying to improve, for what? Striving to become stronger to protect friends, family and home. Her family was gone, dead. The only friend she felt any connection to was her best friend. And she no longer felt like she had a home. What did she have?

If Sakura were here she would demand the answer. Her friend had rushed out upon hearing that Naruto was going to be granted an audience with the captive. How could they call Sasuke a captive or a traitor? He had been a confused, little boy when he had fled. Now, he was a grown man that had found his way back from the dark.

She hated it! The place her home was becoming.

_'This is not the only way.'_

"What?" There it was again. Was she losing her mind? Was she so lonely she would conjure up a figment to speak to her? A male voice at that? Was that male, she couldn't be sure.

'_I can taste your desire for power. Your hate for those you hold close. Only through escape can you realize your worth, to become what you were meant to be.'_

It was coming from the metallic symbol on her night stand. She had placed it down before sitting down on the bed. The room was still empty besides herself. Her eyes were drawn to it, curious more than afraid.

_'They do not deserve such power. Destroying such power is a sin. Overlooking rare talent is blasphemy.'_

"Just because I agree, doesn't mean I have to listen." Dammit, she was responding to the noise. Ino was glad Sakura had left or she would be on her way to have her head examined.

_'You long for a means of escape, I can grant it.'_

"I can't leave. If I leave I'll end up like Sasuke. This village, it doesn't forgive." And she was frightened at the mere thought. Her heart pulsed with hope at the thought of escaping. It would make her a disappointment to her parents. They had died for this village, how could she abandon it?

_'A village that wastes its power because they fear it. Why serve it?'_

It was what she'd grown up believing in. That the Village Hidden in the Leaf, it was worth serving. Now, she wasn't so sure. The morals, the rules and those that disregarded the heart of one of their own. All they had to do was show some faith in Sasuke, it all began with that first step. Not only weren't they taking that step, they were tossing him to the void.

She no longer wanted to serve a place that could be so cold. "I'm afraid." And out of her mind by admitting it to an empty room.

_'Embrace my gift and you shall have the power you need to take the first step into following another path. Serve me.'_

Serve it? The symbol was Hidan's. Her mind wracked her brain to recall everything Shikamaru had told them about that one. The man had been granted immortality through his God. A deity that centered on absolute destruction and chaos. He had used his sacrificial ritual to kill her sensei.

_'That shinobi struck first. The one in your mind, I recall his moments. Shall I show you? A servant is still a living soul, a creature that will fight when threatened. The Shinobi of the Leaf attacked first. Self-defense. To categorize it otherwise, it is the same hypocrisy that is suffocating the place you wish to escape.'_

"Hai!" It was true. They had been searching for the Akatsuki members, it hadn't been to invite them over for afternoon tea. If her sensei had attacked first, the group had went after the man, how could she hate for doing something she would have done herself. It is in their nature to strike back when threatened.

_'Accept my gift, serve Jashin.'_

She couldn't. She longed for the strength to break free of the chains that weighed down her soul. It's just, "I think you have the wrong girl. I'm not one for chaos and slaughtering. Weak stomach, you know."

_'The brides of Jashin, they do not serve in sacrifice. Aid the devoted. Service is in creation. A bride to command her chosen devoted.'_

Creation? She didn't want to think about what that meant. Creating something wasn't on her to-do-list for many years to come. Who was she to command and aid? "What do you mean? What would I have to do?"

_'Accept my gift. Already have I chosen your devoted one. In this vessel lies great healing abilities. Bind yourself to the devoted in this matrimony. With a bride, he may better serve his purpose.'_

Did she have it right? Was she being asked to join a religion? Join it and be granted power? Was this how Sasuke had felt, after being granted a chance to grow stronger by aligning himself with Orochimaru? The offer was extremely tempting. She could get away, become her own shinobi. All she had to do for it was to wed another follower? Wait, "Call me vain but exactly who is this devoted one that has been selected? I'm kind of picky when it comes to who I date."

_'The answer is one the bride knows. It is through his token, which I can finally speak clearly to the bride. It was his desire, his will, which drew the bride I have chosen, to him.' _

Was that why? That was the reason she had begun feeling compelled to go inside the forest? That man had been calling out to her? It was disturbing to think about it. "Why? Why me?"

_'In the tomb lies my essence, my most devoted. Through prayer, I will bless him the retribution he seeks. Devotion so strong isn't easily broken. For his service, he shall be granted my highest honor.'_

"Great, so you thought to give him me? What am I, a fucking consolation prize? You lost your battle and got your ass blown up but you did your best, so here you go?" Ino wasn't sure if she should be insulted or just boggled at the concept. What kind of God awarded a piece of ass for getting theirs kicked?

_'Do not mock me!'_ Was it possible to feel anger in her mind? The heat made her want to run from the room. _'His defeat is the reason he will be granted this gift. The heart of a man is extremely fickle and weak. The devoted has proven that his will is strong and so is his need to serve. He has remained faithful, despite being abandoned. Loyalty as this is commendable, not to be discarded. His pleas shall be answered. A bride; beautiful, strong and one that can ensure the devoted can continue his service through sacrification. A bride with the will to command.'_

So she was wanted to keep that Hidan up and running? She was to assist him? How was that possible? What was to keep the man from lopping off her head? Or just walking away once she had helped?

_'To betray the bride, is to betray Jashin. A reckless servant is a useless servant. Service to aid and strengthen his path. In return, receive the strength to become a Mother of Jashin.'_

Could she do it? Accept the power, bind herself to a rogue-nin that thrived on pain? The pain of others. In the end she was a shinobi and if she had to serve someone, why not someone that would use her talents? Her role would be more important, not just some pretty face to be used on a disgusting D rated mission. "Alright, I'll do it."

_'Summon my power. Open up your soul and you will be guided.'_

Ino cried out at the piercing sensation in the back of her brain. An impulse was working its way into her mind. It felt like a horrible jutsu, compelling her to move without thinking. Her body was starting to move. She was standing, reaching over to open the top drawer. Her eyes widened seeing her hand reaching for the kunai. Did accepting mean death? Her favorite blouse was being split down the middle.

The urge to cry out almost won. She stumbled to the center of the room and to lean forward. The kunai was digging into her chest. Tearing through her flesh, up, across and down. By the time the circle was complete, her blood had pooled to create a good size puddle. A bare foot was used to create a much larger sign on her normally spotless floor. Seeing the symbol of the God, her chest clenched in terror. There was no turning back. Her big toe made the final connection.

"Oh Fuck!" Pain erupted in her chest and the brightness had her dropping the bloody kunai. It clattered to the wood floor. Heat and an overwhelming wave of emotions slammed into her. It was too much, her body collapsed to join the weapon. It was taking all of her strength to remain conscious, to breathe.

_'It is done. Now, he waits.'_

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By the time the front door burst open, Ino had already taken a shower and changed. She had woken to discover that there was no evidence of what she'd done. The floor was clean, along with her kunai. The only reason she knew it hadn't been a dream was the scar upon her chest. There went ever wearing a bikini again.

There was also the nagging compulsion in her mind. It wasn't hers, she had already decided this. It was the same feeling that had drawn her to the forest. It meant it was that man calling out to her. Well, he could wait.

"Sakura?" She placed the damp towel on the back of the kitchen chair seeing the crestfallen look.

"I was denied."

"Denied? You mean they wouldn't allow you to see him?" Ino walked over to the tense shoulders, leading her friend to the table. "I put on some tea. I'll fix us some and we can talk."

"She gave them instructions not to let me in the building. Tsunade-sensei won't let me see him." Sakura had gone straight to the source. Naruto was going to be allowed to speak to him as soon as they had him secure, yet she was being denied the chance.

"I take it you went to speak to Tsunade-sensei." She placed a cup in both spots, urging her friend to continue.

"I did. I went to the cell first and asked to arrange for a time to see him." Sakura clenched her fist remembering the guard's words. "Any visitors had to be approved by the Hokage first. I was hopeful, seeing as she was overseeing his visitors. I told her that I just needed to see him one more time. She told me it wouldn't be allowed. That she believed it best to walk away from him. Sasuke Uchiha was beyond any redemption."

"Seriously? What is she trying to prove?"

"She doesn't want me getting involved. I forced her to tell me the real reason why I was being denied. She said I was too attached to the condemned. That seeing him wasn't wise. Why am I so different from Naruto?" Sakura hollered, knowing her best friend wouldn't take offense at the volume. If anyone understood how she felt, it was Ino.

"Because," In a way the Hokage knew what she was doing. Ino poured them both a cup before continuing. "Naruto isn't in love with him. You have both loved him in your own way for years. However, your level of emotion is a lot deeper than Naruto's. What one would do for a friend, is different than what someone would do for their heart."

"I know." As much as she disliked the way he had treated her over the years, it didn't change that he still owned her heart. It wasn't going to be offered to him again, but that didn't mean he still didn't have it. One couldn't help who they loved.

"We both know they are wrong. They are afraid. Instead of facing that fear to do the right thing, they are being cowards. They want to show the world that they are fierce by killing what they fear. Have some sugar."

"Thanks, Ino." Sakura stirred the steaming liquid. She had already gone to Naruto and he had promised to speak to Sasuke in her place. Idiot. Did he really think he could convey what she wanted to say? Would he be able to take in every aspect of that moment, so she would always have it in her memories? "She's right you know. I know if I saw him, I'd want to help him."

"I don't blame you. I want to help him too and I don't need to see him to want to. The village is doing something unforgivable. Are we really shocked? After everything we have learned?" Ino gave a dry laugh.

"So, what if I said, I don't think I can let Sasuke die?" She couldn't do it. To see him being dragged through the crowd and slain as a traitor. None of their friends were willing to listen. They all thought it was hopeless. The only way to help was to betray their village. A few voices amongst many had no chance of being heard.

Did Sakura expect her to react like the others? To make her see the folly of such thoughts? None of the other Rookie Nine had been that close to Sasuke. Even she hadn't known him that well. Having a crush wasn't the same as falling in love. "Forehead, then don't let him die."

What? Did Ino really agree with her? "It's treason to even talk about it."

"Isn't it a greater crime to abandon a comrade?"

Once she would have thought it the other way around. They were taught that the village would always be their foremost importance. The village meant nothing to her, if it would turn its back on Sasuke. They would never be, but she couldn't let him be executed. "I want to save him."

Because there would be no talking the council out of its decision. They would make an example of Sasuke Uchiha: The Leaf Village would not tolerate traitors. "If that is what you decide, I won't let you leave me behind. I promised Asuma-sensei that I would never let you leave me behind. Not in love, not in skill and not in life. If you have the strength to do what is right, then so do I."

Did she have the strength to do it? Sakura knew she had the desire but could she do it? She also didn't feel right about bringing Ino down with her. If she attempted this, she would become an enemy of Konohagakure. "I cannot ask you to abandon your home. Your help would be appreciated but maybe I should do it alone. Why would you want to help?"

"Because you are my best friend. You deserve my loyalty over the village. I have already decided to leave. I no longer wish to remain." There was also the fact that soon she'd have a wanted-nin at her side. One of the former Akatsuki was waiting on her. His impatience could be felt and it was no less than her own.

"Your last mission." That evening her friend had come home distraught and unwilling to talk about it. "What happened? You haven't been the same since, Ino."

Should she badmouth their sensei? Ino cared for their Hokage and sensei, but she could no longer say she respected her. "You know how I feel, Sakura. I want nothing more than to be useful. That is why I sought to study with you under Tsuande. Why I have spent hours every day training with others. To improve my skills, to be a better shinobi. That mission, it destroyed my desire to be a shinobi of this village."

"What was it?" Sakura knew that they really weren't supposed to talk about their missions.

"The client requested someone young and beautiful. I wanted to demand more information. All I was told was the client was requesting someone to spend the night with someone. It was a simple D mission but he paid the price of a S rank mission. It could not be turned down so I went." Ino clenched her fist remembering her shock when she had met the client. "He was a very handsome man that ran a thriving shop in Kirigakure. When I asked the details of the mission, he said that he had a younger brother. The brother had always been shy, unable to approach women. He said that the next night was his brother's birthday and he wanted to make it special by getting him a girl. I thought it was some poor sap that was trying to finally get his younger brother laid. I had accepted the mission, I had to do it. I went to the bar where the guy was going to be and found him. I flirted and got him to the room I was told to take him. Sakura, I couldn't do it. He was drunk and when he kissed me, he called me another's name. However, I knew that the brother had hired me to spend the night with him. I was being paid to have sex with a stranger."

"What did you do?"

"I stripped us both and let him sleep it off. I figured if he thought he did, my mission was complete. I dozed off waiting for him to wake. We both woke to the door being thrown open." Ino twirled the spoon around lazily recalling that woman's face. "Sakura, it was his fiancé. Our generous client stood behind her with a look of triumph. Don't you understand, he used the mission to accomplish what he couldn't do on his own; to break them up. I'll never forget the look of betrayal and agony on her face. She ran and the other man followed. I struck the client when he thanked be for doing such a thorough job."

"I'm sorry, Ino. I had no idea."

"My skills were used to break up a happy couple. I searched for either of the two but they couldn't be found. I could do nothing but leave, knowing that I had done something horrible. I bitched to Tsunade when I got back. That she should allow me to return and straighten it out. She said no. We aren't allowed to do anything outside of the scope of our mission. The mission was a success and that was the only thing that mattered. Her excuse was that the village is in need of funds after the war. As a shinobi I will often be called upon to accept missions that I won't like or agree with." That was the reason she couldn't remain. Hearing that as a shinobi she would have to lose her morals. With regulations that would force them to disregard their morals, faith and trust. How did that make them any better than the missing-nin they often hunted? If anything those shinobi should be congratulated for remaining true to themselves. "I can't justify laws that will disregard the very principles that should make us better than those we condemn."

Arms were thrown around the blonde's shoulders. Sakura ignored the table corner that was digging into her stomach. "It's okay, Pig. I understand and agree. We have both trained to be med-nin. We shouldn't want to be used as a whore or tools. Thank you, for remaining with me."

"Don't mention it, at least not until we are across the border." Ino tried to smile at the implication. They had to be careful. If ANBU or the Hokage caught wind of them wanting to save Sasuke, they would be put under house arrest until after the execution. "Drink your tea. We have plans to make."

"Okay, but I don't see how we can do it with just us two." Sakura was confident in her own skills but they would be going up against many ANBU to get to Sasuke. Then they had to get out of the village without being slain. The moment they made a move, they would be in the same category as the one they were trying to save.

"I may be able to even our odds. I'll explain what I mean, but you got to promise you won't freak out."

Please review.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Another update.

Warnings: Some language.

Disclaimer: Still don't own it.

Chapter Three

Five days, that wasn't a lot of time. The seconds continued to tick by as he leaned against the bare wall. There was nothing inside the cell except a cot and a pot. A meager meal had been pushed into the opening. He had the mind to not eat, take his own life by starvation.

A public execution, a spectacle of his death. Did they think by killing him they'd win? At the moment there was nothing he could do to prevent it. The chakra seals were unbreakable. Without someone that knew what they were doing, he couldn't remove them. Who would help him? In the last two days, no one had bothered to visit. He was alone.

Where was the dobe? Would he come see him before he was forced to take his last walk? How were they going to do it? He never thought he'd end up back in his old home, only to contemplate how he was going to be killed. They should have just did it then. Why make him wait for it?

There was no contact from the former Rookie Nine. He didn't expect most of them to bother with his fate. No one in Ino's team had really cared enough to spend time with him in the last month. He had spoken to the blonde kunoichi several times in those weeks. He had to admit that she had grown into a beautiful woman. She had been friendly and warm towards him, no longer annoying with the fake flirting. She probably wouldn't bother to come see him and he didn't care.

Where was SHE? The back of his head hit the stone wall. Would she come to see him? Why would she want to? The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he wanted her to. They hadn't bothered to actually have a conversation since his return. Sakura was avoiding him. Soon she wouldn't have to worry about doing so.

Would she be in the crowd? Would she come to watch him be executed as a traitor? Naruto had forgiven him but he knew she hadn't. He had always thrown her feelings aside, been cruel and given her no reason to care. He had walked away from the village, from her. The day she found him, he tried to kill her. Seeing her again, he hated her. She was a reminder of everything he had abandoned. Then she had boasted that she was ready to leave the village to be with him. He had sensed her hesitation and knew, she had come to end him.

It was over, gone, his need for revenge. Once all that negative emotion had departed, he was only left with regret and anxiety. Kakashi had told him that he would gain nothing from traveling that path. It had been true. Learning the truth hadn't changed anything. He was back where he started with nothing to show for it. He was stronger, older and still alone.

He still felt some rivalry towards Naruto, it was still there. This time, it was another kind of jealousy. In that month he could see exactly what had changed during his absence. His former teammates had developed a bond, a deep one. It was no wonder Naruto had been boasting to him that they were together. Did two dates mean a relationship? What had happened on those dates? He had wanted to ask his old friend but his pride had kept him silent. Whenever they were together it was all about Sakura. Being forced to listen, all he could think about was how she could have been his. Thinking that the two were becoming more than friends, he had realized that it was what HE wanted.

Before his defection, he had hated the attention he use to receive. During the academy, those foolish girls had always bothered him. Ino had been among them. Whenever those girls tried to touch him, hold onto him, it had always irritated him. How many times hadn't Sakura touched him? How many times had she grabbed his hand? Held him? Thinking back, he had always found some comfort in her touch.

Whatever emotions she had once felt, he had destroyed them. What right did he have to be jealous of her relationship with Naruto? Why did it make him angry that she now looked upon the idiot with such affection? Worrying about it now was pointless. Soon, he'd be dead and she would eventually consent to Naruto's courtship. And all he wanted to do now was start a family and live a life he could be proud of. "Sakura."

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The weather was too hot for the long cloak. It had been needed to hide the miniature shovel and bag. She was still at a loss on how she was going to manage to not look suspicious while carting back a body. She really hoped she ran into no one that wanted to speak to her.

The more she thought about it, she wanted to be the one to do the recon. Instead, she was going to have to come out to this hot ass forest and dig up some asshole. The closer she got to the hole, the anxiety became unbearable. Was she really about to do this? Shikamaru would be back from his mission tomorrow. She had to get him out before her old teammate returned. The Nara would definitely notice her leaving with a huge bag.

There was only five days left. No time to spare with proceeding with their plans. As soon as they realized that someone was trying to break the prisoner out, every available shinobi would arrive to deal with the threat. Their plan was to cause a big enough distraction to prevent them from attending the breakout.

"Oh, you better be worth this." She snatched the cloak off of her shoulders and placed it on the ground. This wasn't going to be fun. She had no idea how far down he had been buried. Her hair had been pulled up and pinned, to keep it off of her face. She had worn shorts, a tank top and sandals. The main reason for the cloak was to cover up the scar. It was still red and sore, wearing a shirt that would rub against, wasn't something she was going to do while attending to manual labor.

The shovel dug into the dirt with ease. It had rained last night, making it looser than normal. To make quick work of the hole, she used chakra and speed, to send the dirt flying up to a pile. She had debated on bothering to cover up the hole but figured she may as well. The last thing she needed was for Shikamaru to come by and notice that it was open. They would need the next couple of days to prepare, not worry about being caught.

She took the first break after going down approximately six feet. Just long enough to wipe her brow and curse. Another foot down she started to carefully scrape dirt onto her shovel. Ino didn't think he'd take it kindly if she were to ram the shovel through his face. The first part she found was a foot.

There was no blood, no decay and it was warm to the touch. It was just a start, the foot was held until she jumped out onto the ground above. In order to make sure she got all the parts, she had to somewhat assemble the pieces. The next was a hand, the left she believed. It didn't look like his body was in too many chunks. It made finding them easier.

"Owe, you're on my fucking hair!"

"Huh?" Ino practically jumped again after softly landing back into the hole. The back of her foot was on something. Bending over she latched onto the dirty strands and gave a good yank. It was filthy and disturbing. She was holding up a human head.

"Fuck you staring at? Let go of my damn hair, you bitch."

"Call me a bitch again and I swear I'll shove a kunai up your ass, as soon as I find it anyways." Ino grabbed the handkerchief she had earlier used to wipe her brow. The decapitated head was placed on her knee, she wiped around the eyes. "I guess I shouldn't be shocked to find you in a foul mood. Hold still, I'm trying to get the crusted dirt from your eyes. Let me fetch my canteen."

He was placed back on the ground. This time to rest against a lump of dirt. Hidan blinked rapidly, trying to readjust his eyes after seeing nothing but darkness for months. Who had been sent? Who was digging him up? That shadow bastard had said no one would be allowed to enter the forest to find him. He almost spoke freely when he had been lifted. With the scattered light, he could make out the outline of the female coming back down. Blonde hair that was bunched up was all he could make out. That was until the girl turned around to come towards him. It was that shadow bastard's little teammate. She had been one of the one's to plot and set him up for this. "What the fuck? Come to play with the scraps?"

"Oh Jishan, I can see why he buried him. Don't you ever shut up?" Ino grumbled to herself more than anything. She had a feeling that the deity was indeed watching. He would want to make sure she kept up her part of the bargain.

"Don't speak bout…" his god? Hidan narrowed his eyes on the barely visible mark. It wasn't possible. Why would his God send her? The bastard had a horrible sense of humor. This girl was connected to the very shinobi that had nearly destroyed him.

"Wow, you actually shut up." She lifted up his head lightly and placed it back in the crook of her arm. After wiping it, she could see that he was indeed an attractive male. A bit of a mess, "I'm going to place you over here. Do me a favor, keep your mouth shut. I don't need you attracting attention. If someone finds us, I'll have to bury you again."

"Whatever." He could be silent if he wanted. It gave him moments to inspect the female that was busy yanking his leg out of the dirt. That mark, it was true. His prayers had been answered. When he'd been told to have patience, he hadn't been sure what his god meant or wanted. He did as asked and waited. Jashin had sent him a bride? Was he worthy? This girl, why would she accept the gift?

It was hard to tell exactly how she looked beyond the dirty smudges and disheveled appearance. What he could recall from the battle was that she was beautiful and well-formed. Was she the reason for his anxiety? How many more pieces was he in? His attention was brought back to the female as she grunted and swore. His torso cleared the surface and she started stammering.

"Oh, shi..oh..oh….okay, look away." Ino clenched her eyes shut to block out the image. This so wasn't right. Out of all the things to notice, she had to notice THAT! One arm was completely gone, the other was detached at the elbow. Both legs were missing, the torso itself was intact and so was the groin. Thankfully, the dingy material flipped as she dropped it, covering up what she'd spotted. "I'm just going to take this up and see what else we are missing."

The torso was placed in the proper place. Sadly, she did need to take a peek to make sure everything there was intact. It would be horrible to patch him back up, only to leave a testicle behind. The back was inspected first. The potty mouth had a nice butt. Placing it on the back, the torn pants were opened to take a look. Both testicles were in place, with two penises. Okay, it was only one but it was dangling longer than it should. Her fingers rolled it around to look for any detachment or odd stretching. It had the look of a normal penis, just twice as long as the many she'd seen before. While working at the hospital, she had seen her share. All while the males were soft. This one was not erect but she'd gauge it to be at least five inches long and plump. The Jashinist was hung.

"Right, we are missing half a leg, an entire arm and a middle finger." That wasn't including the head that was waiting patiently in the hole for her.

What was taking so long? Hidan had to hold his tongue seeing the girl jump back inside the grave. The longer he watched, the more he was assured that this was definitely the bride that had been picked out for him. He had no idea how powerful she was, or the reason behind the selection. "My finger is to the left."

"Thanks," Ino pocketed it. The shovel was used to sift through and find the missing arm. Her patience was wearing thin before she found the next piece. Figures, the lower half of his leg was in more than one piece. Fingers dug and brushed aside the soil. She rearranged it there until she was positive she had it all. There was no way she was going to take all of those pieces up. "Be right back."

This time she came back with a sack. He almost yelled seeing her tossing him into it without care. "Don't forget that."

"I won't." Ino had already spotted the weapon. "Okay, I'm taking you out."

He was lifted in the crook of her arm. Being a man he couldn't help but notice his cheek was being pressed up against a very firm breast. "Nice tits."

"Shut up! Or I'll shove your head into the bag now." She needed to cover up the hole. It took half the time to toss the dirt back into the earth. It was obvious someone had bothered it but it was the best she could do. Now, to deal with her guest.

"Does the shadow bastard know you are undoing all of his handiwork?" No answer. "Did you enjoy ogling my cock?"

"Seriously? Not really, I've seen better." Ino almost laughed hearing the string of obscenities coming from the head. It took a minute to toss the rest of him into the bag. "Keep up that language and I'll remove your tongue."

"I fucking dare you. Seeing as you aren't impressed by my cock, you might want to rethink allowing me to keep it." Not one woman had yet to complain about his size. Every little slut he had paid to lay on their back had given him a refund. His cock was big enough to get the job done.

"Okay," she wasn't going to give him the pleasure of commenting. "I need to get you back to my place, healing you out here isn't possible. Even with my skills, it will take a few hours. Shikamaru is due back in the morning and I can't risk him discovering us out here. I'm going to have to put you in the bag. I'll have enough issues getting there carrying all that, without being questioned. The sack not so much but I have to hide your weapon. Please, do not talk until I take you out of the bag."

How long was that going to be? He closed his mouth as he was placed on top carefully. At least she hadn't used his damn hair to move him around. The bag was closed to place him in the dark. From the movements he assumed the bag was against her back.

Ino almost winced when she accidently poked herself trying to get the three bladed scythe under her cloak. It was strapped down then covered. The bag she latched over her shoulder to carry behind. Dusk was falling, she had taken most of the day. There was no way she'd feel up to healing him tonight.

How much further was it? He didn't want to ruin her plans by shouting out. It stank in the burlap bag. What did she usually store in here? It stank of ass and socks. Was that him that smelt? Could be, he had been in that hole for a long time. It was probably his own ass he was smelling.

"Oh hi, Choji!" The girl's voice interrupted his musings. "Where are you off to?"

"Ino! I was just going to your place. Shino thinks it'll be a good idea if we all got together. I'm supposed to invite you and Sakura." The male's voice was high-pitched and annoying.

"Thanks for the offer but I have to pass. Sakura was really upset earlier and I think I need to stay home with her tonight. Hanging out isn't the best idea right now."

"I see." Good, then he should leave. Hidan heard the pause, what was there to say? He didn't know who this Sakura was or Shino but she didn't have time to fuck with anyone else. The intrusion spoke again, "I understand. I'll let them now. We are hoping that when Shikamaru comes back in the morning we'll be able to figure something out."

"Exactly, that is why I don't want Sakura going. She's going to have a hard time dealing with this. Giving her false hope will only make it worse when time is up. Maybe, we should let it be, Choji." What was she talking about?

"Yeah, I know but she loves him. Ino, if it were you, I couldn't just do nothing. I would want to keep you safe, I think I know how she must feel."

"That is so sweet, thank you." Ino blushed hearing the awkward confession. "I'm sure Sakura would also appreciate your concern."

And he'd appreciate it if she would tell the fucker to get lost. Hidan bit down on his tongue to keep from releasing the outburst. Whoever the prick was, he was clearly trying to announce unwanted feelings. Jashin had chosen her for HIM. He'd be damned if he let some other fuck try to trespass on his territory. She was going to be his.

"I got to get going." Ino was sure the man in the bag didn't want to remain in it any longer than necessary.

"Okay, but what have you been doing? You're dirty and what is in the bag?"

She knew he was trying to find a reason to remain in her company. "I was out training and it's equipment. I needed to relieve some stress. I really need to go. I'm dying for a shower and Sakura isn't sleeping well. See you later, Choji."

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Someone was finally here to see him. Sasuke kept his position prone on the pathetic mattress. It was morning, only four days left. Without having to turn around, continuing to lay to stare at the wall, he knew who it was. "You actually came."

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Naruto went to the bars. The door itself held the bars, in which he could see inside. There would be no means of escape through the bars. Not even someone as thin as Ino would be able to slide through. Well, she could if she didn't have those boobs and a thick butt. "You really should eat, Sasuke."

"Why? Does it matter?" Did it matter how he died? Maybe if he was weak he wouldn't feel whatever they had planned for him?

"Don't talk like that. There is still a chance I can get them to change their minds. All of us are trying."

"All of you?" Were they really trying to get him released? Why would they? They were on his side?

Naruto frowned at the question. He thought Sasuke would be happy to know that they were trying, they wouldn't abandon him. "Well, most of us. We haven't been able to talk to Ino and Sakura about it. Choji, did manage to tell Ino that we were holding a meeting, they will probably show tonight."

Would Sakura show? He doubted it. She had made things clear, she no longer felt anything for him. Them voicing their opinion, wouldn't make much of a difference. Disappointment set in hearing that Sakura wasn't part of it. "You shouldn't bother."

How could he say that? "You can say all you want, Sasuke. We don't abandon our friends. We are going to fight this and win."

Not every battle could be won with determination. In four days if they didn't get him released, he'd be killed. As much as they might be willing to stand up for him, none would break the laws. As things stood, there was only one way for him to be free and it wouldn't happen. None of them would be willing to betray the village for him. Not even Naruto. The dumbass would believe things would work out for the best until his head was set on display. He was no innocent for them to save. He had done most of the crimes he was being condemned for. Not even the blonde idiot would go against the village he loved so much to free him.

"They just want to show a strong front for the people." Naruto was still talking. "They are afraid of appearing weak. We will make them see that forgiveness isn't a weakness."

Didn't the idiot see? Naruto had grown up with the people of this village. At one time they had loathed and treated the boy like shit. All because they were afraid of him. Sasuke came to the harsh realization that they would never stop fearing him, or what his clan was. That fear would ensure that he is hated and never accepted. Instead of letting him dwell in that miserable existence, they were going to use him to prove their strength. They wouldn't risk him fleeing again. "It would have been nice."

"Sasuke?"

"I said it would have been nice. To rebuild my clan, start a new life and have a family." To have the kind of relationship his parents had. To have that someone waiting on him whenever he came home from a mission. There was one person he could have seen himself with.

"You can still have those things."

"It's not going to happen, Naruto." Sasuke spoke more to himself than the shinobi standing on the side that was free. It was fine, he knew he might have to answer for his crimes one day. He had been foolish enough to want to come home. To protect the village his brother had loved. "I lost my clan, my brother and I lost her."

"Her?" Who was Sasuke talking about? Who else had he lost before coming home? Naruto was sure he hadn't begun dating after returning. Had there been someone in Sasuke's life? "Who are you talking about? Did you have, you know, a girlfriend?"

"Never mind, it doesn't matter now. Just forget I said anything." Wishing for the impossible wouldn't improve his situation. "Just go. I'll see you in four days."

Please review


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Another update, not as long as I like but I hope you enjoy.

Warnings: Language thanks to Hidan.

Disclaimer: Still don't own it.

Chapter Four

"I think I got the shit job." Sakura snapped, her fucking fingers were sore.

"You sew and I heal." Ino was thankful that the patient seemed content to just lie there. It was already after noon. They had less than four days left to get this done. She was currently working on Hidan's legs. The rest of him had been put back together in the last five hours. Sakura had been kind enough to repair the leg that had been busted.

Did she really have to do it? The shirt was being a pain. Thankfully, she had managed to snatch some pants off of someone's line that would fit the man. She had already snuck over to Naruto's and grabbed some of Sasuke's belongings. Two pictures, his equipment and spare clothes. It had been hard to decide what he would want to bring. She put Hidan at two inches taller than Sasuke and bulkier in his build. "You two are going to stand out."

"No more so than Sasuke. He has his clan brand on all of his clothing and so do you." Ino had already sent four cloaks and twelve shirts to be designed. The old lady that lived down the hall did all of their patching, most of the time. She had drawn the design and asked her to do it for her. She had agreed happily when the payment was ten times what she'd normally get for a job. Ino had lied and said she saw it on a necklace. Mrs. Hirosaki was the only one she trusted not to go blabbing about the unusual stitch work. She kept to herself and didn't care as long as she got paid. She would stitch 'The Hokage Is Really a Man' if the price was right. "Next time, steal something that isn't torn."

"I'm a med-nin, not a bandit. You should tell your man not to have such wide shoulders. It made the pickings to be a bit slim." Sakura knotted the thread and clipped with the scissors. "I could always break into Gai-sensei's wardrobe. They look to have the same chest size."

"And I'll butcher her hair when you sleep. We will be trying to escape. Shit green spandex isn't exactly the best way to blend in." And she wouldn't allow her company to wear it. It would match the color of his nails though.

Where was the thread? Sakura adjusted her bottom that wanted to stick to the leather cushion. They were gathered in Ino's bedroom for the time being. The mutilated shinobi had been placed on the bed to be repaired. This was, after all of the limbs had been placed in the shower to be cleaned. She had let Ino do this while putting the pieces of leg back together. The first two hours she had kept busy cocking and packing. By the time she was done, Ino already had his head attached to his torso. A sheet had been draped to give their guest some modesty. Not that the foul man would concern himself over it. "I'll need your help patching up Sasuke's cloak. It looks like he tore it on his last mission and hasn't bothered to get it fixed. It is his rain cloak and I don't have four hands."

"Fine but I'm searing while you hold." The cloak had a thick plastic lining sewn underneath the cotton. It was designed to keep out the cold and the rain. Sakura would have to hold the plastic away from the cotton while she burnt it back together, but also to make sure she didn't catch the top layer on fire in the process.

Anymore talk of sewing and shopping, he was going to lose his temper. Hidan rolled his eyes as the pink-haired girl brought up needing to pick up more thread. He turned his attention back to the blonde. During the night he had been placed in a chair next to the bed. It had left him with nothing to do but watch her sleep. Today she was wearing a skimpy blouse, it was hiding her damn scar, and shorts that showed off long legs. She had an amazing body. The other had a pretty face but her body was more slender without much for curves. "Yeah, you're definitely the hotter one."

"Fuck off, no one asked your opinion, Headless." Sakura snapped hearing the comment. It didn't really bother her. She knew she wasn't as built as her best friend, she was fine with that. It was a good thing the man found Ino to be more appealing, since they would be stuck together.

"Come over here and say that shit. As soon as she gets my legs on, I'm going to kick your flat ass." See how she looked with no head. It might be an improvement.

"Seriously?!" Ino kept one hand working on healing the leg at the thigh but the other swung to the side to slap the side of his head. Violet eyes swerved to land on her again, "You started it. And I'm only going to say this once, I suggest you listen. Not at any time will you think of hurting Sakura or Sasuke. As a matter of fact, Jashin was right, you are way too reckless. I don't even have your legs on and you are making plans on getting fucked up again. You aren't allowed to go picking fights."

"Be a bitch, why don't you." He scowled when she shrugged at his insult and kept on healing. Leave it to his god to pick a bitch for him. Yesterday evening, after they had returned, she had asked him exactly what to expect and what a bride was. Leave it to a damn woman not to know what she was agreeing to. He hadn't wanted to tell her but she had demanded to know, he had to answer. He told her how it would work from now on. He was the original vessel of the curse, gift in his mind, so the curse was in his blood. She had accepted being bound to his curse. Her mortality was attached to his immortality. As long as he was alive, she would be. His bride had been worried about the pain that came with it. She was an extension of his power, not part of it. He had reassured her, she wouldn't have to worry her pretty, little head over experiencing any extra pain. However, the bond would ensure that he would feel any pain she endured. Not the kind he got from the ritual, there would be no pleasure to be taken from it. Any scratch would be felt tenfold for him. Jashin's punishment for allowing her to be injured. A bride was the greatest gift his god could give, he would know Jashin's displeasure if he was weak enough for someone to actually harm her. He really hoped she wasn't accident-prone or clumsy.

Bitch she may be but she wouldn't have him hurting her friends or running around like an idiot. They may be bound together, that didn't mean she wanted to spend every day healing wounds. She was already learning why Jashin thought she would be useful to him. Hidan may be the type to eagerly slay, he was also hotheaded. The man needed someone to keep him in line. A servant that would constantly end up buried or incapacitated couldn't serve. She also wasn't easily cowered or timid. Even with the extra power granted to her, he was stronger. If she had learned one thing last night, it was that he couldn't hurt her. To a point he had to do as she said, because he had the desire to keep her content. If he pissed her off, she'd make sure to cut herself next time shaving. "Another comment like that I'll rip off your cock and bury it where you'll never find it."

"Shit, you're fucking cold. You're making me hard." His cock jerked beneath the thin sheet. It had been over a year since he had a woman.

"And you're annoying me." How big was it going to get? Ino was glad she was positioned in front of his waist or Sakura would be getting a glimpse of what he had to offer. "Did you get the powder, Sakura?"

"Hai, it's stored in my closet. Have you decided on a target?"

"With under four days, we'll have to pick something easy. I say we do it tomorrow night. They probably aren't expecting much in the ways of a rescue. If so it would take place the night before, I say we attack early. As soon as I get this last leg on, we'll go plant it." Ino placed the last limb where it needed to be.

Just healed and they would be expecting him to work? This was the reason he had never settled down, women were so demanding. Hidan snorted seeing the other kunoichi toss his new clothing onto the floor. "If you are going to have me assist in breaking someone out of a prison, I hope you plan on inspiring me beforehand. I may need persuading."

"Shut up!" Did he always have to comment? Clearly they weren't talking to him. Ino snatched a pillow from her side of the bed. He called her something sounding like upid kitch, the rest was smothered out. "Go fix the tea."

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They counted a total of four guards standing outside of the building. Normal prisoners would have been taken to their jail. With the execution, Sasuke was being kept in a building that had been abandoned on the outskirts of the village. It had been reconstructed to keep a single person inside. There would be a main room, the guard post. The single bedroom had been converted into the cell.

Sakura had been inside it twice before now. She knew the layout, they just didn't know exactly how many guards were inside. Counting the four roamers, the door watch, that was five. That wasn't counting the unknown. "I'm willing to guess on two or three inside."

"Probably," Ino kept up the casual strolling. They had more than one reason to inspect the building. They had to see how close they could approach it without causing an alert. When they got within a block the one at the door tensed. "Twenty feet approximately."

"Don't worry, he recognizes me. He knows the Hokage has denied me entrance. I'll just keep frowning, he'll go back to smoking." The guard was a male, he'd assume that she was pining over the fact that she couldn't get in to see Sasuke. Sure enough, he went back to smoking and looking at a magazine. It should piss her off that they thought she was so weak, she wasn't a threat to their security. "Asshole."

"Don't stress, it'll be to our advantage. They are probably more worried about Naruto doing something bold." Ino placed a hand on her elbow to guide them away. "That tree there looks like the perfect drop off spot. Just remain long enough to make sure I'm inside."

Right, they could do this. The powder had already been placed. She felt a bit guilty about their plans. "It's a shame we can't thank Naruto ahead of time. His behavior is going to make it easier for us to pull this off.

"I know, he's helping without realizing it." Ino crept her head closer. To any outsider it appeared like she was comforting her friend. "With their meetings and his running around the village trying to get everyone to sign that petition. I also made sure to leak the information that he was planning on holding a protest that morning. The guards are planning on stopping his little display."

That was the reason they wouldn't be expecting the breakout. Tsunade and the others will believe she was still going to leave it to Naruto to do something about it. So caught up in her grief, she would be at Naruto's side to plead for Sasuke's release. Not this time. "Are you sure you want to help me? We could die while fleeing?"

"I'm with you, Forehead. Shit, two o'clock." Ino noticed the shinobi, he wasn't being discreet about it. He knew they had just left the cell area. "It's going to be okay, Sakura. I'm sure Naruto will think of something, he always does."

"I know, I just feel so helpless. They are going to kill him and I can't do anything, I'm so useless. They won't even let me see him. I need to tell him how I feel, he needs to know." Sakura wiped at a fake tear and hiccupped for good measure.

Ino wanted to roll her eyes at the ANBU. She was a good friend though, she had to comfort the weeping Forehead. "He knows how you feel, I promise. Everything will be okay, we have to trust Naruto. He asked us to leave this to him."

"You're right. Naruto will be able to do something." Try that ANBU. Sakura squashed the guilt at directing suspicions towards the blonde shinobi. As noble as Naruto's plan might be, it wasn't going to work. After an entire day of running the streets, no one was willing to be the first ones to speak out in defense of the Uchiha. The masked shinobi leapt away, no doubt to report what he had just heard. Let them focus their attention on Naruto. The daily meetings with the others would make him appear even more suspicious. "He's gone."

Great, she was tired of frowning. Ino stretched her arms and yawned. All through the night she had kept waking, feeling that man watching her. She wasn't sure if she should be flattered or worried. Very cautious once they returned. He hadn't been too happy as his eyes closed. Hidan had been pissed realizing that she had put something in his tea. It was the best way to make sure he slept the rest of the day and night. He was too stubborn to be left aware.

"Ino, about what you did." Sakura couldn't help but be concerned. She was glad to know that Ino could prevent him from attacking her or Sasuke but, "Are you going to sleep with him? You said you were a bride or something. Does that mean you'll have to have sex with him?"

That would be part of it. Every man had needs, as did she. Already she didn't like the thought of him going elsewhere to scratch that itch. If she was going to be his bride, then it meant he also belonged to her. He wasn't her ideal man. He definitely wouldn't have been the type she could bring home to meet her parents. "Probably. I'd rather fuck someone for my own personal gain. It is better than doing it to fill someone else's pockets. It'll also be on my terms and I may get some pleasure out of it."

"But you don't love him."

"Hey! I don't think I need love advice from you." Ino sighed knowing she was right. She didn't love him but what did that matter? A lot of clans still arranged marriages. It was no different, it had been arranged. With time they could come to some kind of pleasant existence. "You're conflicted by your own emotions. You love him, you hate him, you don't want to be with him but you are willing to do this for him. I don't think either of us are going to have a fairy tale ending."

"Kunoichi never do." Sakura didn't know where she stood with Sasuke. She wasn't doing this with hopes of winning his heart. She was doing what was right. As long as he was safe, that was the important thing. Once they got away safely, he would be free to travel with them. If not, she would have no regrets.

"Let's go to the store. I want a good meal for dinner. It won't hurt to pick up a few more supplies." Ino grabbed her hand and yanked them both towards the market. It would be a long time before they'd be able to sit down and have a decent meal. "My asshole also wanted some chocolate."

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	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks to those that have reviewed so far, I really appreciate it. From this chapter on it will begin to earn the M rating. Sadly it does mean that there will some character death, eventually and violence. Sorry, the fic calls for it, shit happens.

I also promise that very soon the Sakura/Sasuke will be coming in. Just have to get it to that point. Trying not to rush and screw up the fic.

Warnings: Language and sexual content. I tried not to be too graphic with the sexual content.

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Chapter Five

"Wah?!"

"Wake up," Sakura nudged her again. "You're about to knock your breakfast to the floor."

Breakfast? Ino blinked seeing the steaming plate of food next to her outstretched arm. "You made me food, Forehead. I thought I was going to do that. What time is it?"

"After seven," she had been sleeping but the hollering of their company had woken her. The Jashinist had woke up finally and he hadn't been happy. Sakura had stumbled out of her room to go see what the fuss was about. The loud asshole had been walking around the room wanting to know where his woman was. She had kindly informed him that she was most likely passed out elsewhere. Indeed, the blonde had her face sucking the kitchen table. "I've already taken him breakfast."

"Thanks." It would take a cup of coffee to get her going. Ino was glad Sakura looked refreshed. "Coffee, I'll be needing this."

"How late did you stay up?"

"A few more hours," Ino took a huge sip of the hot brew. Sakura wasn't the best of cooks but she made a mean cup of coffee. "I repacked our things, took another walk around the complex, found the perfect host and then I took a shower. I meant to prepare some dried beef to take along but I feel asleep while waiting for it to cool. Oh, I see you've already packed it up."

"I did," Sakura had split it evenly between the four bags. "Since I got some rest, I'll handle a few things while you get a nap. I also think it's best if you remain here with him for the time being. Your masochist isn't a happy camper."

"Okay, what are you going to do?"

"Pick up a few more supplies, grab our order from Ms. Hirosaki, and go talk to Naruto. Just to make sure that our ploy is working. When I get back we can see about getting started. While I'm gone, try to pacify him." Sakura took a bite of bacon. They would be counting on the man to do most of the work. They didn't need a disgruntled ally doing the hard work. "Just make sure that you are done with the soothing before I return. I don't want to hear it, smell it or even know about it."

Whatever, she finished off her eggs without responding. If he didn't calm down she would just slap him. Sakura left her alone to finish the meal. Tonight was the night. Sakura was right, she needed to go speak to him. He was going to be doing something for her friend. Saving Sasuke wasn't for her, but her friend. The least she could do is show a little gratitude. They wouldn't be able to do it without him.

Swearing could be heard as she approached her room. Her back was hurting from falling asleep at the table. "You're going to have every ANBU knocking on the door. Don't you have an inside voice?"

"Fuck no!" He crossed his arms as she came into the room with the nerve to bitch at him. He had a bone to pick. First, she drugged him and then left him alone all night. He had woken and then greeted by the bitch with the huge forehead. The food had been eatable, if a bit bland. The room showed signs of them being busy while he had been doped. There two traveling bags ready to go against the wall. A change of clothes were folded neatly on the chair. His weapon was leaning nearby. He had been eyeing the other blades while shoveling the food into his mouth. He wasn't a collector but he did have an eye for weapons. "Where have you been, Bitch?"

"Good morning to you too." Ino glared as she stormed inside the room, making sure to shut the door.

"It would have been better if you wouldn't have drugged me." The girl was ignoring him. She was ghosting through the room and moving things. She snatched up the twin blades, "Whose are those?"

"Mine," she had bought them just before the war. She was far from mastering the weapons. Inhuman super strength was Sakura's thing. Shikamaru had convinced her to learn some kind of offensive skills. Tenten had been more than helpful in the last month to train her. "The other matching set belongs to you. I know you use your scythe for drawing blood, not really killing. In some cases we will need to move quickly, the kills will have to be fast."

"Aw, you bought me a gift." He chuckled at the blush. It would have been sexy if she wasn't wearing that ridiculous, pink, cotton robe. There was noise coming from the bathroom, she stepped back out holding a small plastic container. Not only had she bought him a gift, she was a decent housekeeper. Whenever he would toss something on the floor, it would be picked up immediately. "Ya know, if you end up being a half-decent fuck, you'll be the perfect bride."

Half-decent? Was he implying that she wasn't going to be decent? Decent was also a far cry from being good, or great. He was trying to goad her, she knew it. Not one to back down, she untied the sash keeping the robe closed. Last night she hadn't bothered to put on anything but panties. "And if you COULD do something with that mouth besides bitch, you'd make a decent groom. Now shut up, I have a lot to do today."

The next smart comment lodged in his throat, his mouth had gone dry. The offensive robe fell to the floor, she was perfect. Did she think he'd allow her to tease him? The sheet was tossed aside, the tray was pushed to the floor. The clatter had her jumping and glaring, "Come here, Ino."

He did know her name. For a while she had been worried that he had confused it with the word Bitch. His intentions were clear and crudely obvious. The erection was pointing in her direction. This wasn't what she had in mind when Sakura had told her to placate him. What kind of sex would he like? Why was he grabbing a kunai?

"Scared?" That got her to move. His bride had the pride of a man. She stomped over, not exactly graceful. He wouldn't have her any other way. Outwardly, she was a woman that was abundant in feminine beauty. Inside, she was as proud and stubborn as a man. In the last twenty-four hours he had seen enough to know he wasn't going to be able to walk over her. She would never be the type to be passive or docile. No matter, he could live with that. She could rule the manor, as long as she knew who was in charge behind closed doors.

Not scared, terrified. Ino closed her eyes, she was yanked up against a hard chest. She didn't fear pain or death, it was that thing jabbing into her stomach. She had never gone all the way with a man. It was supposed to be painful with an average male. There was no way she was going to enjoy this. "Owe!"

He tightened his hold on her nape seeing the crimson fluid oozing out of the open wound. The kunai had sliced through the scarred flesh between her breasts. He yanked to tilt her head back, his mouth sought out the flow. Her blood was sweet and warm. "Your turn."

Disgusting, she didn't have fetish with blood like he did. Ino swallowed the lump in her throat seeing him slice through his skin, just above his heart. A heart that was actually beating after being dismembered. It was salty and strong tasting. Not what she'd want to indulge in often. It burned going into her body. The blood felt like it was growing as it eased down. She didn't have time to wonder what was happening. He didn't seem worried over it. Hands were now reaching down, ripping off her panties.

Hidan lifted her around the waist, placing her onto the crisp, white sheets. He wanted to see it stained with her virgin's blood. She was pure or she wouldn't have been chosen. That other kunoichi would probably be back soon to start barking orders. He would claim her before they were forced to spend the next few days on the run. The pale thighs parted with the use of his knees.

Thin lips crashed down against her own. The kiss started out rough, demanding. Ino sighed and captured his head between her hands halting the kiss. She brought her own gently along his, thin but soft. The warmth of his tongue slipped out to seek entrance inside. She let him take back over, possessing her mouth. The almost panicked motions of his tongue was exciting, sending tiny spikes of pleasure to her stomach. He could do more with his tongue besides dish out insults. The brush of something along her most private area was the only warning she had. She released the scream into his mouth. That had been more than a pinching kind of pain. She felt like she had been ripped in half. The odd thing was the pain was intense but echoing behind it was a tingling pleasure.

"Fuck!" He couldn't get his cock any further. Hidan licked her bottom lip, savoring the sweet whimper as he withdrew. On the first go, he had gotten about four inches inside her body. The moisture around him both warm and hot. There was some stickiness but for the most part it was slippery. He thrust deeper, aiming to fill the extremely tight passage. This time he cried out, louder than she. The pain she was enduring was accompanied with Jashin's gift of pleasure. It mixed with his own.

Ino had to clench the sheet to keep from coming off of the bed. The third time had her shaking and gasping for breath. He was so huge, she could feel the blood as she tore. The pain from it being her first time had dulled. It was all on the way she was being stretched and filled. There was the pleasure of being stimulated as he began to rock within her. The burning sensation from her muscle walls being pushed and forced to part, added to the pleasure. The moisture from her arousal kept him from tearing her further but didn't aid in the fierce way he began to fuck her. "Oh, ahhhh."

Was that his name? He couldn't tell, seeing as she had turned her head to scream into the pillow. The walls were clenching around him. He lost his own control as the pleasure washed over him. She felt so tight and hot, her pussy wrapped perfectly around him. He was shaking along with her as the orgasm filled her. It did help with the next few thrusts, leaving her to ride out the orgasm. Every nerve in his body pulsed with the shared pleasure. The longer he moved, more enjoyable pleasure came through instead of pain. Through the bond, the pleasure he brought her was also intensified for him. He was sure he could get off just on that alone. The peak she had at the time of orgasm remained, staying between them. The combination of both orgasms covered his cock.

Arms were lifting her by the waist, making her get up. He moved to sit back on his feet, keeping his cock buried in the heat. Slender legs wrapped around his waist, she held onto his shoulders. A steady movement was set between them. Ino loved the way he held her close, having his hand caressing her back. She did notice that each time he came up, he kept her from going all the way down. His strength alone was keeping her hovering off of his thighs. In and out, both actions felt wonderful. Hearing the needy and disturbing sounds coming from her own throat, she was glad Sakura had decided to leave. There was no mistaking what was occurring.

"Fuck, your pussy is too tight." With each thrust, he had to use force. Fucking would never be sloppy or disappointing. She was trying to come down, to join him in moving. Nails were digging into his shoulders and he was filling her with a little over half. About seven inches was steadily massaging the inside. "Don't cum, dammit."

She couldn't help it. The tension broke, she couldn't stop it from happening. The pleasure rolled through her, so good, she was overwhelmed with the feel of him moving within as she climaxed. "More," all she got was a hard thrust, giving her no more than the previous ones. She was tired of the gentle, slow penetration. The need in her was swelling, her pussy was craving it hard and fast. There was also the knowledge that he was holding back. "Harder."

Was she insane? Hidan trembled with pleasure and impatience. His cock was throbbing already from the previous orgasm. It was killing him to keep the steady pace for her. If he gave in, he couldn't guarantee that he'd last. She was too tight, too hot around his cock. He'd never had a woman that felt so good. It didn't help that her voice was sending electric jolts of pleasure through his balls. The sound of her enjoying being fuck was incredibly arousing. His eyes had also caught sight of the crimson smear near his knee. She had bled, her innocence belonged to him. She was begging for something he couldn't do. To do so would end things. He had almost shot off when she had exploded unexpectedly around him. Another one like that and he would be sated.

Gods, she wanted it. He was keeping her on the edge. It was going to take more this time to finish. The passive fucking was doing nothing but teasing her now. After about ten minutes of it, she was ready to cry. Did he think more was appeased by giving another half an inch? "Fuck, please. I want you inside. I want it all." That earned her another thick inch. "OH fuck, yeah, harder. Hidan, please, please."

He gave in at the sound of his name. The please broke off, replaced by a harsh scream of pain. He slammed her down and shoved upwards with as much force as the position would allow. White pleasure had his vision blurring at the feel of being buried so deep. The tip had slammed hard into something. His hips snapped, plunging repeatedly into the moist core. "Damn you, I'm gonna cum."

That's what she wanted. Ino held on, embracing the pain of being completely joined. Going over the edge was caused by teeth biting down onto her shoulder. Elation, along with a sense of possessiveness, surrounded her, feeling the pulsing as he shot the heavy streams deep. It thrilled her to flex, after her own orgasm had passed. Soft whimpering sounds brushed along her throat with each squeeze.

"Stop that fucking shit, woman. You're killing the head of my cock." The giggle made him smile. Fingers were playing with his hair, caressing him. He'd never had a lover show affection afterwards. It felt different to have the arms holding onto him. He also found that he didn't want to release her. She was no longer his bride, but his wife. Jashin had heard his pleas and sent him something irreplaceable. He would help them retrieve the Uchiha because it was what she wished. However, once it was done, he only cared about keeping what was his.

111111

Less than three days now. Evening was about to set on another lonely day. No one had bothered to come inside today. The guard had brought in food, a waste, seeing as he hadn't touched the last three meals they had brought. Tonight his dinner was to be chicken, rice, steamed vegetables and a roll. A canteen of something had been placed next to the plate. His stomach was protesting to him being so prideful. The meat smelt wonderful. Going without food was making him delusional. Was that clawing? A strange chitter was coming from behind him. He turned to look out of the small window.

A small white squirrel was climbing inside, through a hole in the bars. His first thought was the smell of food had attracted the animal. It was fuzzy, with a large bushy tail. He adjusted his position on the cot to watch it look around the room. It darted across the floor towards the food tray. Instead of heading for his dinner, it actually peaked the tiny head between the door bars, as if looking around. After a minute, it came back and jumped on the bed.

Ino was glad to see that there were only two guards inside. Both were busy looking at a magazine and drinking. She had half a mind to inform them that drinking wasn't allowed on the job. They didn't see Sasuke as a threat and they really believed that no one cared enough to attempt a rescue. She gave her attention to the lone Uchiha and felt a pang of guilt. There were bags under his eyes and he looked peaked. Seeing the dinner still sitting on the floor she assumed he didn't have much of an appetite. The last thing they needed was for him to be too weak to make it out. She moved across the pathetic mattress to stand by his feet. Her own gag reflex kicked in as she used the tiny claws to reach inside her mouth. It was odd feeling the tiny pouch opening to let her withdraw the folded parchment.

It was pulling something out of its mouth. Sasuke narrowed his eyes to see what it was doing. It was slightly yellow and folded. The clawed hand was outstretched in offering. He didn't know of any that could command this type of creature. When he didn't immediately reach out to grab it, the squirrel raced up and started waving it violently towards him.

He knew of no one that would act in such a manner. He felt the urge to smile, as one hand was placed on the ribs, where a human's hips would be. Definitely a female, "I'll take it. Just don't bite me."

'Just read the damn thing!' She didn't like this body. It felt odd being so long. Something was also nibbling on her. Did squirrels have fleas? She resisted the urge to scratch the offending itch. Hidan had also promised her a nap, if a small one.

He carefully undid the damp paper. It was no larger than an inch in length. The message was simple. 'Midnight.' What did it mean? Was it possible? Who would be coming for him? Or was someone just going to sneak in to talk to him? That would be pointless. Could he dare to hope? He snarled as the squirrel took the paper back out of his hand and proceeded to eat it. That was one way to cover their tracks. "I'll be ready."

The animal nodded in understanding and pointed to the window. He managed to get off of the mattress. His legs were sore from spending the last few days just sitting. He lifted the squirrel up to the window sill. He watched as it dashed away. 'Midnight.' Whatever was going to happen, he'd try to be ready for it.

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	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thanks to those that have reviewed so far, it is inspiring. Here is the next chapater.

Warnings: Language, some violence

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Chapter Six

"How much fucking longer is this going to take?" Hidan cradled the prone form in his arms as the clock struck eight. The sun was already down, she wasn't back yet. He had insisted that they didn't need to contact the Uchiha beforehand but they were set on warning him to be ready. They should just bust in there and grab the little pussy.

"It's only been twenty minutes," Sakura ate another piece of chocolate. It was the man's first time at seeing the transfer. He had panicked learning that she was transferring into an animal. "Why are you so worried, isn't she like you now?"

"Jashin, grants immortality to humans, not fucking squirrels. I don't know how she will be effected if she did die in that other form. What kind of clan would actually use something so damn stupid? Entering another's body is like walking into unknown territory blindfolded.

"Oh, well.."Sakura didn't bother finishing. Ino suddenly lifted up her arm.

"Dammit!" Ino felt the sting of her arms and along her back. "That little fucker had fleas. Ugh, he had thousands of them."

"Take a cold shower to ease the itching." Hidan spoke softly into her ear.

"How did it go? Did he read the message? How did he look?" Sakura handed her some cold water.

Ino took a swig of the bottle. "Like hell. He is still in his night clothes and smells like sweat. The only facility he has is a toilet. He did understand and said he'd be ready. I need a shower or I'm not going to be."

"I'll join you."

Sakura watched them leave together. All their preparations were done. The only thing left was to proceed with the plan. She wanted to be there when they broke him out but Hidan was against it. He had persuaded them to focus on the distraction then meet at the rendezvous point. He thought only one of them was needed to break out Sasuke. Well, HE was enough to get the job done. Being immortal, he had a better chance of doing it. Sakura knew he had a valid point. They would do their part by drawing attention away from him.

111111

The twin blades were strapped to her back. Ino knew it was going to be awkward to carry both bags. It was almost time to depart. Sakura was busy rearranging Sasuke's belongings. Ino watched the tall man sharpening the bottom blade of the scythe. It gave her something to do while braiding her hair. It was kind of arousing to watch the hands at work. Hands that had been all over her in the shower.

"I guess this is it," Sakura brought the kunai through the leaf symbol. There was no turning back. She had just declared herself as a rogue-nin. She was deserting the village. What reason did she have? None, except she had to agree with Ino. Her main purpose was for him. She thought about the one time he had asked her if she were really willing to betray Konoha for him. At the time she wouldn't have. Because as she looked at him, she hadn't seen anything of the Sasuke she had fallen in love with.

This time she would give up everything. He wasn't back to the original Sasuke but she could see that the qualities that she had come to love were still there. He didn't deserve to die. Not only would she betray Konoha, she'd fight anyone that stood in their way. Not only did she have Sasuke to protect, but Ino. She wouldn't let them down. However, she didn't think Ino needed any actual protecting from her. She would stay firm in her decision, so their betrayal wouldn't be in vain.

"Do mine too." Ino indicated towards her headband that was sitting on top of her bag. The long braid was wound tight in a bun on her head. Two long needles were used to pin it in place. The clothing they had chosen to wear was black. Hidan had on a cloak over his clothing.

He was ready to get the fuck out of here. He stood and latched his scythe on his back. "I'm going to head out. Before I go, how much blood can I shed? Or are you going to prevent me from killing anyone?"

"Kill if you need to but don't go on a spree. Whatever deaths we leave, will be placed on Sasuke's head. Do whatever it takes to get him and yourself to the meeting point safely." Ino knew he'd probably take a few lives, it was in his nature. She felt horrible about having to do it this way. However, it was time to pick a side. There wasn't really bad or good, just different viewpoints.

He walked up to his blonde, seeing the worry. She came to him, the hand on her nape not giving much choice in the matter. He addressed the pink-haired kunoichi lifting her bags. "I'll get your pussy-ass lover boy. In return, you will make sure she takes her ass to the rendezvous point. My woman ain't getting caught for you or the Uchiha. I can handle a few guards so no heroics. You get your ass there and wait like a good little girl."

"Got it, I'll keep Ino from trying to save you." Sakura adjusted her strap.

"I don't fucking need no savin."

"No, what you need is a bar of soap. I can see I'll have to teach you some manners. We will be fine," Ino patted his elbow, like one would a child. She was alright with the plans. They had their own part to play. "Just remember, don't kill if you don't have to."

"I heard ya already, fucking nag." Hidan brushed a hard kiss across the soft mouth. It was time to go get the pretty boy. She stepped back and he transformed into the image they had suggested. "How do I look?"

Ugh, not like the man she had slept with. He made an excellent Kakashi-sensei. "Are you sure this will work, Sakura?"

It had to. She lifted Sasuke's belongings in her left hand. "Kakashi-sensei is on the list that can see him. Naruto said Tsunade put him on it already knowing he'd want to see him as soon as they got back from their mission. Kakashi-sensei and a few others still don't know what has happened. They will let him in."

"Good, I'll be going."

222222

They weren't coming. Sasuke sighed in defeat seeing the moon high in the sky. It had to be past midnight and nothing had occurred. Did it mean whoever had sent the note had changed their mind about coming? There wasn't anything he could do if that were the case. What was he going to do if dawn came and he was still in this cell? He hadn't realized how hopeful he had gotten from the contact. As the disappointment settled in, he knew he wanted to live.

The door opening and slamming shut from the other room drew his attention. The guards never left until the morning. Had someone shown up? There hadn't been no fuss, so it wasn't likely someone that was here to help him. He walked to the door and peaked out of the bars. One of the guards was standing and speaking to, Kakashi?

Not Kakashi. Sasuke noticed the deception immediately. The man's stance was wrong, there was also no waist pack. The perv never went anywhere without his reading material. The ANBU didn't seem to notice anything. He almost cried out when the two started walking towards his cell. The hand moved so fast he barely caught it. The butt of a sword slammed into the back of the man's neck. The other looked up from his magazine in shock. He was too slow, the man had moved behind him, piercing him through the chest. That wasn't Kakashi, the copy-nin couldn't move that fast.

Hidan turned him over to find the keys to the cell. Lazy bastards. He had managed to get inside without alerting the guard at the door. That would change when he tried to walk out with the Uchiha.

"You aren't Kakashi Hitake." Sasuke spoke as the man approached.

"Wouldn't want to be that pussy either." Hidan changed back to his normal appearance. He slipped the key into the hole. "Since I'm busting you out of here. If my woman asks, I just knocked them out. Don't need to hear her fucking lip tonight."

"You're Akatsuki, aren't you?" He recognized the man's face. What was one of the former members doing here? Wasn't he reported as being deceased?

"I'm late is what I am. We don't have much time before we'll hear the signal. When we do, we will have to move fast. Can you run or do I have to carry your sorry ass?" That wasn't part of the deal.

"I can run but I won't be of much use if we come up against any experienced shinobi. My chakra has been sealed." Sasuke took the blade that was being handed to him. He knew how to use one, if he didn't have to fight for too long. Now he regretted letting himself get weak.

Hidan walked back towards the doorway. "You can use that for now, just don't fucking lose it. It was a wedding gift. Lose it, you'll lose a testicle, understood?"

Jeez, couldn't they have found someone more pleasant to fetch him. It had to be a rescue attempt. That reminded him, "Who sent you? You have no reason to come for me yourself and the Akatsuki are no more."

Was the prick going to talk the entire time? He was trying to listen for the signal. "My wife. I couldn't care less if they lop off your head but she does. Her and that flat-ass kunoichi she is close to. They want you out of here, that is the only reason I'm wasting my time. Now shut up. You can talk to them yourself, after I get us out."

That worked for him. He still had no idea who had Hidan come fetch him. The immortal shinobi had a wife? No one he knew was married to the man. He still had many questions but it wasn't the time for them. He had to focus on keeping up, to escape.

"Ah, time to go." The explosions made the earth quake beneath his feet. He swung the door open and stepped out. The guard was gasping in horror in the direction of the Hokage's building. It gave Hidan the perfect opportunity to plunge a kunai into his throat. "Don't tell her about that one either."

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	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Another chapter if a small one, was a bit busy today and I'm exhausted. Thanks for those that have reviewed, it is appreciated.

Warnings: Just language this chapter, oops wait, a little bit of violence too.

Disclaimer: Do not own it.

Chapter Seven

The night sky was soon filled with flames. Sakura felt like crying as the next explosion blasted in the middle of the Academy. The second had taken out the storage warehouse. It hurt to see the smoke rising in the distance. "Did we really just blow up the village?"

"Not really. We just took out three buildings, only one was in use." Besides they had set the powder near the archives. No one was there this time of night. It would just be used to draw attention and cause the forces to run around in panic. Their main goal would be to put out the fires and make sure no civilians got hurt.

Anxiety of waiting had Sakura wanting to vomit. Would they make it here safely? They had to be patient and wait. Sasuke wouldn't be able to help much with combat. The only thing he could rely on would be a bit of taijutsu. They had to be alright. Once they arrived, she and Ino would be able to assist. "Don't, he said to wait."

"How bothersome," Ino had to focus on not moving her feet hearing the shouting and another explosion from below, that wasn't part of their diversion. It meant the two were fighting for their lives. Another ten minutes went by. "I don't think I can wait. I'm going."

"Right, let's go." Sakura prayed that the man wouldn't blow up seeing them arriving to assist. From the noise and smoke, they were near the exit but had been met with resistance. "Leave the bags here, we'll grab them on the run out."

She placed both so she could easily snatch on the run back. Ino was a step behind Sakura. They should have known better. There had to be forces waiting on the outskirts to keep Sasuke from trying to leave. "We can't lose here, it's our only chance."

Ino nodded and picked up speed. If they managed to recapture him, they would execute him immediately. The attempt will have been for nothing. This was it, they were fighting for Sasuke's life and their own freedom. As they neared the open gates, she could make out almost a dozen shinobi forming a line of defense. "They are on the other side, break through."

She recognized the back of Kotetsu and Izumo. They would not prevent them from leaving. She didn't want to kill them. "I'll open a path, order him to run with him."

That was easier said than done. There was little chance of Hidan doing that but she'd try. Ino took a deep breath and released it slowly. With strength that surpassed even that of the Hokage, Sakura charged the barricade. Izumo turned around a split second before her fist connected with the ground. Not enough time to warn the others. Ino jumped to crouch on a piece of flying rock to inspect the situation. They had been correct, not only had there been a blockade in front of them but behind. The two had been cut off from any means of escape. Izumo suddenly landed in front of her, she managed to catch the foot aiming to knock some sense into her. His eyes widened as her fingers tightened around his ankle. An upwards thrust of her fist made a solid impact with his groin. The shinobi flew to the ground and rolled in pain. Ino came sliding to a halt next to Sakura.

"Dammit, I told you I had this." Hidan glared at the pair. He should have known better than to expect a woman to follow simple directions. It didn't help that the Uchiha had managed to get himself nicked in the side.

"Sakura, Ino," Kotetsu coughed as the dust settled. No, what were they doing here? They had been prepared for an outbreak from the Uchiha and perhaps outside allies. Seeing the two standing before him, he was too stunned to move. Why were they helping the former Akatsuki? It was hard enough that they were dealing with an immortal. The blonde kunoichi had the skills of any ANBU. They all knew that Sakura was also a problem. The young med-nin had already passed in skill and strength of their Hokage. "Stand down. We must return the escaped prisoner. Sasuke Uchiha, must be returned to pay for his crimes."

"Well, we are going to have a problem," Ino withdrew the double blades from the sheath. They were only half an inch in width and a foot long. Only three that had been guarding the exit were getting back on their feet.

"You're going to have to kill us first." And they were up against two immortals and her. Sakura was more worried about the wound she could see on Sasuke's side. "Ino?"

"Hai!" She turned her attention to the man standing beside the Uchiha. The guards behind were waiting for a signal from Kotetsu obviously. Their arrival had put a damper on their mission. They all knew who she and Sakura were. Being as they didn't have actual orders to kill them, they hesitated on how to proceed. All knew that Sakura was the Hokage's protégé. "Get him and go, we will handle this."

"Like hell you will." Hidan snarled at the proposal. He had this. "This is your damn fault. 'Don't kill. Blah blah blah, no blood.'"

"I don't sound like that!" How dare he?! He was going to blame this on her? Fine, if he wanted it his way. Ino made a mental note to slug him hard later. "Give him to Sakura. We are running out of time, do what you want."

"That's what I wanted to hear." Hidan cackled as she gave in to reason. Did they really think they could break out a criminal without spilling blood? He snatched the dirty Uchiha and tossed him towards the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Oomph. Not so hard asshole, he's injured." Not all of them were immortal. Sakura took the weight as it slammed into her chest. Only one of the shinobi tried to intercept the transfer. The ANBU was stopped midway with a blade imbedded through his stomach.

The shinobi landed at his feet. Sasuke blinked in confusion. That toss had been so unexpected and the impact had slightly dazed him. He had been foolish enough to get injured after getting out of the cell. His mind was still registering what was taking place. Seeing the fallen man, the blood, it began to cause alarm. The Akatsuki was really trying to break him out and they would have to kill in order to do so. His life or theirs. He looked up from the awkward position into the wide green eyes. It was really her? What? Why was she helping the Akatsuki? "Sakura?"

"Don't move too much." Sakura figured explanations were left for later. They still had over a six shinobi to deal with in order to leave and the longer they remained, more would be arriving.

"Sakura, we need to go now. The others are coming," Ino could sense Naruto's chakra quickly coming in this direction. "Are you ready?"

"Hai! Let's do this." Sakura took a step away from the Uchiha that was barely holding himself up. They needed to buy some time.

"I can't let you do that." Kotetsu ran towards the med-nin with one purpose in mind. He would kill Sasuke Uchiha before allowing them to leave with him. Whatever was happening, it was due to the Uchiha that the kunoichi were being used to see to his escape. He had no idea how he was managing to control their actions, he'd put a stop to it. He made it only three feet, pain erupted along his spine. The dirt met him hard, his face scraping as he slid to a stop. The searing pain was gone, leaving nothing but emptiness in its wake. He couldn't feel anything.

"Sorry, you can't fucking do that. I don't get any if I let you kill the Uchiha." Hidan yanked the chain to retrieve the scythe. The bastard was alive, so she couldn't bitch. "Do whatever it is you are going to fucking do. Or I'll just kill the rest of them."

"Take him and run, we will be right behind you." Sakura acted seeing the others get over their confusion at seeing the other shinobi fall. Their mission leader was out of commission, they were going with their original orders, keep the Uchiha from leaving the village at all costs. Using what chakra she could spare, she slammed her fist into the ground. The tons of dirt wasn't meant to kill or hurt. "Now, Ino."

"Earth Style: Earth Wall." Ino infused the wall with chakra, combining all of the earth from Sakura's attack to surround the shinobi. It would only buy them minutes at most.

Sasuke hissed in pain as his arm was roughly thrown over a shoulder and he was being yanked off of the ground. The man wasn't being gentle not to jar him. He turned to see the large wall of dirt to solidify around the group that had been waiting for orders. That wouldn't last long against them. His breath caught, the two kunoichi were forced to deal with the other two that hadn't gotten trapped. He blinked and it was over. One had somehow buried his own blade in his stomach and the other was no longer standing. The distance between them was growing, what were they waiting on? He was still in shock seeing the two appear. He didn't understand. Would they really be willing to betray the village, for him? They had no affiliation with the Akatsuki, so how? The criminal had said something about doing it for his wife and the pink-haired kunoichi. "Your wife?"

"Hmm?" What about her? He better not have just bothered to save someone that had a thing for her. Hidan didn't have an issue burying him in the woods if it came to that.

"Is Ino?" When had the two met? He hadn't been in that cell that long. Sasuke was relieved to see that they were coming up fast behind them. He also noticed as they bypassed bags that had been discarded on the path. The two had planned all of this? Was anyone else involved? He didn't think Naruto would have condoned this course of action. Why had Sakura done it?

"Damn right, so don't get any ideas. You can fuck the bitch with the big forehead all you want but she is mine." It wasn't the time to lay down the rules, might as well do it where she couldn't hear. She wouldn't like him claiming her like an object. That didn't change the fact that she belonged to him.

No problems there. Sasuke was grateful for the save but he had no romantic interests towards the blonde. If he weren't so sore he would have laughed at the man. They were only minutes away from a squad of ANBU wanting to hunt them down and the man was acting like a dog with a bone. His heart clenched thinking of the danger they were now in. Konoha wouldn't let him go so easy. Even if they managed to outrun their current pursuers, others would hunt them.

"It's about fucking time, could you be any slower?" Hidan shouted back at the two a foot behind him. They had paused long enough to grab the belongings. It was a wasted ten seconds, but they couldn't survive on air alone.

"Eat me, you're the slow one." Ino took the lead, jumping in front of the two males. She was better at sensing chakra signatures. They hadn't planned on anything besides getting out of the village. She would direct them in the least hostile direction.

"I'll take you up on that." Hidan smirked at the dark blush.

Oh brother! Sakura would pretend she hadn't heard that. They were running for their lives and the two were being perverts. She almost tripped as she met the dark eyes staring back at her. It had to hurt his neck to turn his head at the angle. She couldn't make out the emotions in the heated gaze. She didn't waver, she met the inquisitive look. There was no way to tell what was going through his mind.

111111

The throbbing brought him to, something hit his back. Sasuke opened his eyes to see a crown of pink. They had stopped in the forest, he didn't recognize the area. The warm chakra caressed the skin on his side.

"Hold still, it is deeper than I first thought. You should have said something." Sakura was glad nothing was still lodged inside the wound. The bleeding had stopped, it still had to hurt with their rapid movement. The confusion and the destruction had bought them a little bit of time. "Here, have some water. We are only resting for a few minutes."

"Thank you," he accepted the flask to take a sip of the cool water. He hadn't realized how thirsty he was. He swallowed a few sips and corked the top. Chugging would cause him to vomit later. Somehow he didn't think his carrier would appreciate being puked on. "For everything."

"Sure," she wouldn't cry. It hurt to have left everything behind but she didn't regret her decisions. The choice had been difficult, she had followed her heart. Sakura used the damp rag to clean the area of blood. "We can't do anything about those chakra seals until we are safe."

He understood. It made him a liability but they couldn't exhaust their own chakra removing the seals while they were trying to out distance the enemy. Enemies, they had become enemies of Konoha. "Why, Sakura? The others?"

"They didn't know. This was our choice, we both have our own reasons." Sakura wasn't about to show a repeat of any of her normal boasts. How she felt hadn't completely influenced her decision. There were other factors involved, "Now isn't the time to talk about it. We can talk later. I'm sure by now a team is being assembled to track us."

"Indeed," they would come after them. If they were caught the two kunoichi would be punished for helping him. The former Akatsuki would be imprisoned since he couldn't be killed. "Um, those two. What is that story?"

She couldn't help but smile seeing Ino trying to reach inside the man's shirt, only to have her hand grabbed. "Another long story. I'll just say we didn't agree with Konoha's verdict and Ino had another reason not to remain behind."

"Take it off," Ino growled at the beastly man. He was already getting on her nerves. "Let me see the wounds. You lost a good bit of blood and I need to heal it."

"Get the fuck off, woman. I'm not some pussy that needs to be healed." Hidan kept a hand on the small hand trying to reach into his shirt. The wounds were already closing, he didn't need to be tended to like a kid.

"You will let me heal them or I'll take that kunai and stab myself in the groin." That got the hand to drop. Thought so, no man wanted to have his cock in pain. "Besides, there is a storm brewing. If we can get rid of the scent of our blood, we may be able to keep them from tracking us."

"If you say so." Hidan grunted feeling the hands running along his chest. The smooth palms felt nice ghosting along his flesh. His body reacted to the touching. It was only scratches, nothing serious. "You just want to touch my body."

It was a nice body. The hard planes of his abdomen jerked underneath her touch. Ino couldn't help but take in the large bulge forming in his pants. "Nice, but we got to get Sasuke somewhere safe. Keep it in your pants until then."

"Thank you, Ino." Sasuke allowed Sakura to help him stand. He wouldn't slow them down when they were risking everything for him. The blonde didn't share any feelings for him besides friendship, what was her angle in all of this?

"Don't thank me. I couldn't exactly let Sakura do everything herself. Besides, it's not like I could have announced my new marital status to the village. Believe it or not, a lot of people would find him to be offensive." Ino patted the hard stomach of her new husband. "But I'm a little attached to him."

"What was that, Bitch? You were more than a little attached earlier, when I was fuc…" He stuck his tongue to lick the palm covering his mouth. It tasted of sweat, blood, and Ino. What was the fucking deal? Not like those two didn't know what fucking was. The hand was jerked away in disgust, "Why the fuck did you cover my mouth? It's not like the flat-ass bitch doesn't know what sex is. We both know the reason she saved the Uchiha is because she wants his little cock."

He liked to think it was above average. Sasuke almost laughed as the blonde slammed a fist into the man's abdomen. That only caused him to grab her and pull her up against him. They were definitely a couple, a very odd and fucked up one. "We should go, Sakura."

"Right, Hidan." Sakura let the other man take Sasuke's weight from her. As much as she longed to keep him by, she didn't have the unlimited endurance of the immortal. Hours had passed since leaving the village. Their luck wouldn't hold, sooner or later, they would run into trouble.

Please review... Also the next chapter will be posted in a day or two and from that point on the M rating will be in effect. Thx!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Another update, but it'll be a few days before I update again. I'm kind of extremely pissed off at the moment. Sucks when I get paid for work and they convienantly forget to pay me for working an extra day AND then forgot to pay me holiday pay! Seriously, some people suck.

Warnings: Language, Violence, and yes, character death.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. If I did I wouldn't have this shit job where they don't wanna pay me the correct hours. GRRRRR...

Chapter Eight

The happy chirping was interrupted with the landing of the four. Ino held up her palm, scoping their path and giving them a few minutes to breath. If only she had eyes like HInata. Her ability to sense chakra had greatly increased in the last few days. She assumed it was an effect of the curse. It would make avoiding ambushes easier.

"Do you see anything?" Sakura crouched on the limb next to her friend and listened. Things were eerily quiet now. The group from Konoha was at least half a day behind them now. Her thighs were killing her from the intense running. She was envious seeing as Ino nor Hidan were the least bit winded. Sasuke had dozed off three times during the night. Dawn had come and gone hours ago. From the sun's position, it was nearing noon. They had risked one stop previously, right before dawn, allowing Sasuke to eat something. The Uchiha had woken again at their halt.

"Dammit, I best get some ass later after carrying lover boy all night. He fucking smells of ass." Hidan adjusted the weight of his cargo. Why did he have to carry him on his back? It must be nice to be able to sleep. She owed him big for all the extra work he was doing.

"First, he wasn't exactly allowed to take a shower. Second, he is too weak to run with that seal on." Ino spoke without looking in his direction, her eyes focused on the landscape twenty meters ahead. "Last, you will never get my ass."

"You know what I fucking meant. I don't want your poop hole. What the hell do you see?" He may be immortal but he wasn't a battery. His stomach was growling and he had to take a piss. Without waiting for an answer, he turned to the side and took care of business against the tree trunk.

"Oh my, are you really going to spend eternity with him?" Sakura kept her eyes forward, unable to block out the sound of urinating. She had to go as well but she'd hold it until they were on the ground.

"Unfortunately," Ino just hoped he didn't accidently get any on Sasuke. "Anyways, I can sense seven approaching fast. From that direction, it is most likely reinforcements from Suna. What do you want to do?"

It had to be reinforcements. A group that large, chances were their luck had run out. Sakura looked over at Sasuke. "We will need stop later for more than a quick break. If we simply evade them now, they will only continue to trail us. I saw we get rid of them while we can. We don't need them to meet up with the other group from Konoha. If that happens they will have the advantage of numbers on their side."

"I like the way she thinks." Hidan put it away after shaking multiple times. He hated the smell of piss. They should just eliminate this next threat. He knew his new wife was sentimental, but she would have to accept a few hard truths. They would not allow Sasuke Uchiha to live and they had added their own names to the list of wanted-nin by aiding in his escape. If it came down to them taking her or killing, every last shinobi would be left bleeding in his wake. The first defection, Uchiha had still been a child, the only reason for past leniency. This time, there would be no sympathy or rescue attempts. "Your choice, them or him."

"Him," the answer was in unison. Sakura couldn't have been more grateful to the blonde kunoichi. It was hard to imagine that at one time their friendship had been put on hold over the very same man they were now saving. That bond had only grown stronger over their years, fueled by the odd rivalry.

"Sakura, Ino, don't." Sasuke wasn't sure why hearing the answer made him happy. He couldn't allow them to continue on in vain. Didn't they realize they were working their way to the Black Book? They would never be able to return home. "You can still go back."

"I don't fucking think so. I could care less about you, but they aren't taking my damn woman back to that village. They were seen aiding in your escape, there was also a few causalities." More than a few, she didn't need to know about those. Hidan wasn't about to let them try to put his wife in some stank jail or try to execute her. "They will be held accountable for their part in it. The moment for staying in Konoha ended when I busted your sorry ass out. Now, nut up or shut up."

He was starting to dislike the man. Sasuke clenched his jaw in anger. The man was right but he didn't have to agree. He couldn't stand feeling helpless and having others fight for him. He hated the idea that she would most likely get hurt trying to protect him. As long as he could remember, she was always trying to save him.

"We'll take it to the ground then. It'll be easier to protect Sasuke that way." Ino leapt down from the branch into the clearing. There would be no getting around this fight. "Sakura, you stay with Sasuke. If they can't defeat us, they may solely focus on grabbing him."

That was something she wouldn't allow to happen. If they got ahold of him, they may lose him. Sakura didn't think she could bare it. Even if it were Naruto taking him back, she would try to prevent it.

The time for talk was over. Seven figures wearing the Sunagakure symbol landed in the clearing. Hidan was tempted to unlatch his scythe. Pity, she wouldn't allow him time to play. These bastards would make the perfect prey. Five of them were weak. The only two that may be any fun were the two leading the pathetic group. "Ah, Sand Shinobi, I thought I smelt burnt ass."

Sasuke stepped forward, reaching out to place a hand on Sakura's arm. This wouldn't bode well. They couldn't win this fight without someone being slain. If they killed shinobi of the sand, it would double the crimes against all of them. Did they really want to be saddled with the outcome? He tried to convey his concerns as the green eyes met his. Did she not understand?

"Ino and Sakura?" Temari couldn't have hidden her shock if she had tried. They had been told that the group was aiding the condemned but the message hadn't stated who was behind it. What were the kunoichi doing? Sakura she got, but why was Ino tagging along? What would Shikamaru think? Where was the shadow-wielder? Did the Nara have any idea that the kunoichi he loved was assisting a wanted-nin? Her heart pinched looking at the blonde woman. This was just another reason to dislike her. First, she had stolen her boyfriend from her and now she was in league with criminals.

"Matsuri," Kankuro hissed at the trembling kunoichi. He had told Temari that this was a bad idea. She wasn't ready for a mission of this magnitude. Fighting in a large group wasn't the same as facing down an S class criminal. All they had to go on was that the one of the known was a former Akatsuki member. They would have to tread carefully with this one. There was also the factor of finding the two kunoichi with them. Were they under the influence of a jutsu or here of their own free will?

"Please, stand aside. We have orders to assist in bringing the condemned criminal, Sasuke Uchiha, back to Konoha. We don't want to fight you," Temari didn't want to hurt the med-nin that had helped save both of her siblings. She owed a lot to Sakura. It would pain her to go up against her but she was a shinobi of the sand. The orders were from the Kazekage, Gaara had accepted the request. "However, we will defeat any that stand in the way of completing our mission. Stand aside."

It had to be those two. Sakura clenched her fist at the order. They should understand, "I will not. If you want him, you'll have to kill me first."

"I'm afraid if you want to get to Sakura, you'll have to go through me." Ino put herself between the pair and the group. It also put her right next to Hidan. Ironic that standing so close to the sadistic bastard made her feel safe.

"Don't be foolish, Ino. We both know that you can't defeat me." Temari withdrew the fan and stared at the other blonde. Did she really think she could win against her? "You are no match for me."

"Hey, ugly bitch." Hidan shouted at the bushy haired freak. Was she really threatening his woman? He could see the disdain and jealousy. "Yeah, you with the bulky ass. She won't have to fight you. Cause I'm about to cleave that dog-face in two."

"Hmph, I don't know who you are but don't take me lightly. I doubt I'll even need to lift a finger with just you three defending him. Retrieve the Uchiha." Temari gave the order to the four standing behind. "Kill them if they resist."

"How about it? Who can I kill?" Hidan withdrew just a single blade and asked.

"The loud mouth and the weird guy are siblings to the Kazekage. Leave them alive but the others are of no importance." Ino recognized the other girl but shrugged it off. The kunoichi was staring at them in fright, at Hidan, in horror. It got worse as her lover rushed forward to suddenly be impaled by many kunai. The ass didn't even bother dodging the attacks. He ran right for the many shinobi. The first two were so stunned by his ability to keep moving, they left themselves open to attack. A head was lopped off and the other was cleaved right down the middle.

Hidan grunted as the third rushed and shoved a long sword through his chest. It stung like a bitch, he brought the gifted blade down to sink deep in the man's back. If it didn't kill him, he'd never walk again. The last was staring at him and backed up. "Well, are you coming or are you too busy shitting your pants?"

"Juribi, pull back." Kankuro ordered the shinobi that was still standing. He would handle this one. He would give the shinobi credit for having a high tolerance for pain and stamina. With the steady flow of blood, the idiot would bleed out.

"Like hell, he will." Hidan jerked the long blade out in one swift motion and tossed it at the retreating shinobi. It struck him in the stomach. The other kunai were deposited on the forest floor. That had been rather easy, if a bit painful. The hole in his chest felt warm, "Thanks, Darling."

"You aren't so tough." Temari watched as the holes began to close. The chakra could be seen flowing around the wounds. The blonde med-nin was the one doing it. That was quite a feat, able to heal another at that distance. Amazing, considering she couldn't see the blonde actually doing anything but standing there. "Let's see your bitch heal you when she's dead."

"Your fight is with me." Kankuro sent in Sasori, swinging the long blade at the man's throat. He'd been looking for a chance to test out the new improvements. He had only brought two with him for the mission.

The large fan swung towards them. Ino swore as the gust of wind slammed into the earth wall. As it fell, she leapt into the air, moving the fight away from the others. She had to dodge another blast of wind. Temari was still a long range fighter. All she had to do was get in close or not. "Mind Destruction Jutsu."

Matsuri tried to cry out as her body began to move. She had been too focused on Kankuro-sensei's fight. It was amazing seeing his skill in battle. She knew she was no match for any of them. It came as a shock when her hand reached down to retrieve her weapon. Temari had the blonde kunoichi dodging another attack. Horror filled her, her weapon cut through the air, the long rope wrapped around Temari's throat.

"Ahh!" Temari cried out as the supply to her oxygen was suddenly cut off out of nowhere. She turned to see Matsuri wearing a wide expression of confusion and horror. Her fan fell onto the ground, her fingers went to the thick cord.

That had worked out nicely. Ino landed near the two and inspected her handiwork. The unwilling brunette tightened the hold, causing the wind-user to fall to her knees. It was a bit underhanded, but she would have the girl release the hold as soon as Temari fell forward and didn't move. The lack of oxygen would only have her out for a bit, no permanent damage.

'Temari!' Matsuri watched the woman fall, unmoving. Had she killed her? Tears filled her vision, she had slain her own sensei.

"Temari!"

Ino heard the shout of outrage, too late. Out of nowhere the blade pierced her chest. So hard, the wooden tail it was attached to, embedded itself between her breasts. Her eyes flicked over to see that at some point Kankuro had dispatched his second puppet. Hidan had a firm grip on the redheaded puppet but obviously hadn't realized that the second was no longer beneath that wrapping, he had his head down. She had no choice but to release the jutsu. It stung, her feet were lifted off of the ground and the tail whipped around, sending her flying as well.

"AHHHH, YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Hidan saw red and slammed a fist into the puppeteer's face. The pain was excruciating and not in a good way. It felt like someone had taken a red hot crowbar and used it to pull out his lungs. His anger had his blood boiling. "You fuck. I'll fucking gut you."

There was no time to block the blow. Kankuro coughed when his back slammed into the tree trunk. The blade that had once been in Sasori's arsenal left the criminal's body and he couldn't move in time to prevent it from being shoved through his shoulder, pinning him to the tree. The man then left him hanging there.

"Nooo!" Matsuri screamed and tried to rush forward. She had to help him. Only three steps were taken and she was confronted by the silver haired man. Her eyes widened having him so close. She didn't register anything but the look of glee on his face. It was hard to breath, it hurt.

It happened so fast, Sakura clenched her eyes at the scene. The man was pissed and with good reason. Ino had only knocked Temari unconscious. Kankuro had clearly struck to kill with that blow. Still, the brunette didn't seem to realize what had just happened. Not even as the large hand was yanked from her bleeding chest and she fell.

"You stupid fuck. Do you have any idea how much that hurt? Pfft," Hidan spat on the ground. That cunt's blood had gotten on his mouth. "You should have kept your attacks in our fight. Stab my damn woman. I'm going to rip off your fucking head."

"Mats.." he couldn't move. Kankuro tried to dislodge the weapon. He had to get to her. The pain and loss of blood was getting to him. Another few seconds and he'd be out of it. The last thing he saw was the man reaching down to retrieve the fallen sword.

"Don't!" Ino rubbed the nasty hole between her breasts. That had fucking hurt something awful. She could already feel her chakra beginning to heal the wound. The fight was over, they could move on.

It was over. Sakura turned and saw the disbelief in the Uchiha's eyes. Ino was walking back towards them with a hole the size of a human fist in her chest. "Told you, it's a long story."

One he had to hear. Sasuke wasn't sure who was more sadistic. It had been clear that Hidan had been playing with Kankuro the entire time for fun. Yet, Ino had used their own teammate to win. It had cost her, for a minute he had feared it had cost her life. No one said the sand shinobi were the most noble. One did what was needed to protect and save their family and friends. He looked down to see what Sakura was looking at. His fingers had a tight hold on her arm, he had been holding onto her the entire time. For what? He couldn't have done much to protect her, not in his state.

"That could have gone better." Ino picked up her weapons that had been dropped when she went for the ride. That thing had some nasty poison as well. Her chakra was steadily eating away at it as it closed the entry point. The battle ground was a mess. Her throat closed in panic having the thick figure appear in front of her. What did he want?

Hidan tried to calm the racing of his blood and did so by pulling her against him. The soft hands reached out to touch his chest. "I told you, I was going to kick her ass. Do you have any idea how much that fucking hurt? Don't do it again."

Not like she had meant to get stabbed. Was it her fault he had been playing, which allowed Kankuro to sneak his second puppet to intervene? "Next time do the job right. I'm glad you don't fuck like you fight."

"Don't mention fucking." He leaned forward, bringing his tongue across the pouting lips. "Watching you force the one to strangle her friend, it made me hard."

"How are your wounds?" Sakura cleared her throat, interrupted what was about to turn into a make-out session. If she couldn't celebrate that way, neither could Ino.

"Almost healed but I think the blade was poisoned, I'm okay but I'm a little groggy from it." Ino yawned into her palm. Yay, the poison wouldn't be able to kill her but it was still having an effect.

"Shit," Hidan caught her before she hit the ground. The pink-hair rushed forward to inspect the wound. "She is fine. Just a bit weak, until the poison gets out of her system." It didn't help that she had been trying to keep him healed during his own battle. She had put too much strain in such a short time. "You'll have to help him for now."

"Are you sure she's alright?" Sasuke didn't get an answer. The man lifted the blonde bridal style and took off. He was left to put an arm around Sakura's shoulder. After eating he felt some of his strength returning. The sooner they were able to remove the seals, he wouldn't be such a burden.

Please review, so I know that my time off when I'm writing, I'm not wasting it on working on something no one really wants to keep reading.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Here is the next update, sorry it took so long. Sorry it isn't that long but I'm already working on the next chapter.

Warnings: None really.

Chapter Nine

"Fuck shit!"

"Shush, you'll wake her." Sakura ordered the seething male silent with an equally scolding look. She had told him to wait a bit and she'd see to the cooking. And they say women were impatient. At this rate she'd be done with Sasuke before the man figured out to go about setting the pot up, without burning himself in the process. They had stopped fifteen minutes ago for the night. Ino had remained unconscious the entire time. Her blonde friend was breathing normally, but her chakra was a bit low.

"I got this, who the hell would buy something so complicated?" Hidan knew his woman would be hungry once she woke. If she didn't wake up soon, he'd wake her long enough to eat. They had some time to spare for a quick rest.

"Will you be able to remove the seal?" Sasuke ignored the low-spoken string of curses coming from the silver-haired man. It was a wonder Ino was able to sleep through it all. He didn't think he'd ever be able to get use to someone so loud and vulgar.

"Yes." The sight of the well-defined chest shouldn't have bothered her. The slight pink to her cheeks had her bowing her head to dig through her belongings. It wasn't the first time she'd seen him without a shirt. "Thankfully, it is one Tsunade-sensei taught me how to do and she wasn't the one that sealed you. I'll have it gone in a few moments."

"How long before the effects are completely gone?" He was tired of feeling so helpless. Wielding that blade earlier had felt like it was three times the normal weight. The seal made any use of strength to work against him.

"You should notice the difference immediately. You strength will stop being sapped but it will take a few hours before you have complete use of all of your chakra." Sakura bit down on her thumb, "You'll be doing a lot better than Ino."

"I can hear that shit." Hidan shook the pot to make sure it wasn't going to easily fall.

She hoped so, the man was only sitting four feet from them. She'd chalk up his attitude to concern. The muscles jerked beneath her thumb, "This might sting a bit."

A bit? Sasuke did manage to keep a straight face. He was thankful once it was gone, if a bit winded. The familiarity of his own chakra, he hadn't known just how much he had missed it. "How much time do you think we gained?"

"It depends, we had a few hours before running into the Sand Shinobi." Hidan pulled out the pack of noodles. "Most likely the ones from the Leaf will run into the shit we left behind. Are they the type to just gather information, then keep trailing OR will they try to assist those we left alive?"

"Is that why you didn't throw a fit about leaving a few alive?" Sasuke smirked at the fake shrug of confusion. The man was the type to thrive on chaos and death and they had left the two strongest alive. "You are a sick bastard but smart."

"You are giving him too much credit." Sakura knew better than that. She'd heard enough about this one to know that he was the type just to rush into battle without thinking. "Thank Ino. That is why she chose the Kazekage's siblings to be the ones left alive. Any team that is following would know them and would make their lives priority over following us. If they take them back to Suna, then it will buy us another two days or so."

"They will contact Konoha to advise them of the situation. Add in whatever time it takes them to regroup." Suna trying to send reinforcements might have bought them the time needed to escape. Sasuke pulled the dirty night shirt completely over his head. It stunk, Hidan had been right to complain about his smell.

"Here, I grabbed what I thought you'd want to bring." The bag was placed in front of him.

"Thank you, you've done more than I ever expected. Naruto, he," Sasuke could recall the hope in those deep blue eyes. "And the others?"

"They were trying to have the village sign a petition. If that didn't work, Naruto was going to have them all protest during the execution." A lot of good that would have done. If they weren't willing to actually fight to stop the execution, nothing would have changed. Sakura tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before continuing, "His heart was in the right place. He still believes that doing the right thing will get the wanted result. We both know that as heartfelt as their protest would have been, it wouldn't have worked. Once you were put up on that block to die, the village would have no choice but to see it through or risk looking like they lacked conviction. You would have died, they would have done the right thing but still failed."

"You don't see what you've done as right?" He had to know. "The village will always give orders that shinobi will not find to be just or right, but they do not break their alliance."

"Right by whose standards? Right by the laws of Konoha? Or right by a friend and comrade?" Right by the one person she cared for? "I made a choice, it's done."

Did she still care for him that much? After everything that still lingered between them? He had never apologized for trying to kill her. It wasn't the right time for it. "Thank you, again. I owe you my life, Ino as well."

"Don't forget Hidan." Sakura pointed towards the swearing male. "Although, we both know he is doing it because Ino placed his balls in her purse when she was putting him back together."

The idea was so funny, he couldn't stop the weak laugh. Sasuke was sure any man that ended up with Ino would have the same problem. Each woman was different. The Hyuuga female that was dating the dobe was the type to allow the male to control the relationship. Ino was the type to wear the pants, no compromise. Then there were ones like Sakura. The pink haired kunoichi was the kind to give and take, compromise. The relationship would be even and well-balanced. It would be the kind of relationship he wanted. A female strong enough to stand on her own but would also need him.

"It's good to see you smile." In the upcoming days there wouldn't be much to smile about. "Why don't you wash up in the stream? I'll help finish dinner before Hidan destroys it."

111111

"How is he doing?" Naruto placed his hands behind his head, feeling the weariness threatening to weigh him down. The entire team wasn't sure what to say to the Kazekage. He, Shikamaru, Hinata, Kiba, Choji, Shino and Tenten were the team assigned by the Hokage. They were charged with the mission of retrieving Sasuke, Sakura and Ino. They were to capture or kill any involved with the escape. They had no idea who was all involved or where the group was going. The one confirmed Akatsuki member was the one named Hidan.

"He is recovering." That was all he could tell them. Gaara kept his gaze impassive as he addressed the team. His brother was out of danger and resting. All the others were being taken care of, being prepared for burial. The ache of loss was strong. Thanks to the Konoha team arriving in time, his siblings had been saved. Temari had only been unconscious, Kankuro had been near death. "We will be having burial services in the morning."

"Has there been any word from the Hokage?" Shikamaru unclenched his fist and turned his gaze towards the seething blonde standing next to the large desk. The dark eyes were glaring holes into him. The two had given them a recap of what had taken place.

"Your team is to wait for reinforcements, they should be arriving within the next two days." Gaara handed Shikamaru the orders. The Hokage was asking for their continued assistance. "The council has just decided that we will offer no more assistance on the matter. The hunt for Sasuke Uchiha is no longer a matter we will interfere with. We will not send any more of our force to be slain in the search of a single rogue."

"Gaara?! " Temari couldn't believe she was hearing this. They were just going to let it go? That group had slain everyone. "It is that shinobi's fault that our men were killed. Have you forgotten what they did to Matsuri?"

"I have not! And that is the reason I have agreed with the council. The Uhicha is just one, I will not lose more, not so the Leaf can have the pleasure of executing him in public. I will allow you to remain while you wait for reinforcements but I cannot give aid at this time." Gaara was saddened by the loss of his former pupil. They were all shinobi, every mission they accepted, they were taking the chance of dying. He wouldn't send others out to die for an unworthy cause.

"We appreciate your assistance and we are sorry for the loss of Matsuri." Shikamaru could understand the man's position. Five were already dead, in order to end the life of one. He was on this mission for one reason; Ino. What he'd heard didn't make any sense. How could Hidan have gotten out of that grave? Who was controlling their friends? Sakura may have done something rash but not Ino. There was no way she would ally herself with that man. Not someone that had slain Asuma-sensei. Something had to be controlling them, something wasn't right. Hidan had been the one to slay the team from Suna.

"If that is true, you will kill the other three when you find them." Temari wanted to go with them. Gaara wouldn't allow it with Kankuro still recovering. Her only regret was that she hadn't been awake when Kankuro had managed to kill one of the traitors. "Try finishing what my brother started."

"Don't say that!" Naruto shouted at the hateful kunoichi. They weren't going to kill them. That Hidan guy couldn't be killed and they were his friends. They'd find Sasuke and the others, and bring them home. "Don't talk like she is dead."

"She is. What part of the report did you miss? The Uchiha and his accomplices managed to get away but not without a loss of their own. You heard Kankuro's report. Sakura may be an exceptional med-nin but not even she can heal a wound directly to the heart. My brother pierced her directly in the heart, she's dead." Temari scoffed at the crestfallen look. And good riddance. They had betrayed their own village. Was it her fault that her ex had horrible tastes in women?

"You better pray that she isn't." Or he'd come back and finish what Hidan failed to do. Shikamaru hated his ex in that moment. Wanting to keep the peace kept him from pointing out that Kankuro had acted cowardly. Ino could have killed Temari but had chosen not to. In his eyes, that made her the better woman. If Kankuro's act had killed her, the Kazekage's brother would someday have a fatal accident. "Your jealousy makes you blind to what is right."

Jealous? She was not jealous of that pathetic excuse for a kunoichi. If not for that mind trick, she would have killed the bitch herself. Instead, they had slain someone innocent and not a threat. "And you have your head so far up her ass, you can't see her for the traitorous bitch that she is. Your girl ran off to be with the Uchiha and left you behind."

"Silence! I will not have petty fighting in my office. Temari, go check on the preparations for the burial. I will handle things from here." Gaara had a headache. He waited for his sister to leave the room. "The official report I sent to the Hokage included the death of Ino Yamanaka. For your hopes, I pray that she has somehow survived. Suna has placed the blame of all deaths upon the Akatsuki member."

"What about your brother's part in the death of Ino?" Choji didn't want to believe it but they had to be realistic. If the report was true then Ino had been slain in the battle. "Your team wasn't supposed to kill them. If Sakura and Ino were there, it wasn't them. I don't care if your team was killed, at least they were aware of their actions. It means Sakura is still out there, being controlled and when it's over, Ino will still be gone."

"Choji," Hinata put a comforting arm around the shinobi. They all knew how he felt about the blonde kunoichi. It was hard to believe that they hadn't made it in time to save one of them. They could still save Sakura and bring her home but Ino was gone.

"I know how you feel, Choji but we didn't find her there. There is still hope." Naruto wanted to have faith in them. They were out there and waiting for them. "We will find Sasuke and we will find out whoever is behind all of this. As Shikamaru said, they chose Ino and Sakura because of they were the perfect targets. We'll bring them home."

Please review


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Next chapter. I'm also working on my new fic Something That We're Not, it is a KibaxIno and SakuraxSai. If anyone wants to check it out. Things are kind of slow at work (Xmas Break, all the kiddies are out of school and home for the holidays) So for the next few weeks, I should be updating both a bit.

Warnings: Langauge

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Chapter Ten

Was it really safe to stop for an entire night? This was for her benefit. Ino knew they were going to stop in the village to give her a chance at a decent night's sleep. They had been making distance all day. Sakura was wanting to get in a hot bath and a decent meal. Her 'husband' had been unusually silent for the last few hours, it was kind of unnerving. None of them had bothered speaking while heading in this direction. She could only imagine what was on their minds.

There was a light mist in the air indicating rain. If the storm managed to break, it would help covering up their scent. With enough distance between them and the team, they would be able to get away clean. The road going towards the small village had little traffic. A wagon carting supplies with two passengers went by. "Should have asked them for a lift."

"Are you tired?" Sakura turned to look back at the couple. Hidan was trying to come off as casual, she wasn't fooled. Casual would be the space between her and Sasuke. The Jashinist was walking so close to Ino, a fly wouldn't have been able to squeeze through.

"I'll make it to the village. The Inn better have some good food, I'm tired of noodles. I think someone should give me a massage later." A foot massage would be awesome. The blonde reached out to latch her hands onto the muscular upper arm. "You can just say it you know, whatever has you brewing."

He wasn't brewing, he was plotting. Hidan snorted at the bright smile. Leave it to a woman to be so forgiving and thoughtless. Did she really think he'd be okay with walking away from those sand shinobi? The one with the toys may have been allowed to walk away this time but Hidan had a good memory. The next time he saw the pussy, he was going to collect. He'd do more than crush his little bitch. If he saw either of them, he'd enjoy ripping the ugly bitch in half. Just because she was feeling better didn't erase what had been done. She was his wife and he didn't have the ability to forgive. "We are getting separate rooms. The pussy will just have to man up and share a bed with a woman."

What?! She wasn't going to share a room with Sasuke. Sakura could understand that he'd want to spend some time alone with Ino but she'd pay for the extra room. What was she supposed to do the entire night that they were alone? Talk? Pretend the other wasn't there?

"That is acceptable." Sasuke let the insult go. Giving in and verbally attacking the crude man would be pointless. By now he had accepted it was just part of his personality. It was in his genetic makeup to have to swear in every sentence. Besides having a nasty mouth, the man was harmless. He wouldn't waste his time and energy on constantly bickering, the insults didn't bother him. The man also had a point. They would need two rooms and he saw no reason he couldn't share one with Sakura.

"I just know that I'm taking a bath as soon as we get checked in. I don't think you want a smelly woman in your bed." Ino hoped he'd take care of everything so she could hit the wash. Sakura said the place had a public bathing area. Soaking in some hot water would do wonders for her muscles. It would also give them time to have girl talk. Now that they had Sasuke free, what would be the plan? Was Sasuke going to tag along with them? She wanted to give the two time to have a serious talk before making plans on where they should head and proceed. If Sasuke did decide to go off on his own, that would be his choice.

She smelt just fine to him. A bath wouldn't be a bad idea, before they got sweaty again later. Hidan released the breath he'd been holding. For a minute he had been afraid she'd insist on sharing a room with her friend. After the stress of the last few days, he was looking forward to relaxing for a few hours. Just a few hours to enjoy his new wife. It wouldn't hurt the Uchiha if the pink-haired twat were to give him some too. The bastard was too uptight. There was no reason to be so tense, the Konoha team was at least three days behind them and probably cooling their heels in Suna.

"Is that the Inn, Sakura?" Sasuke remembered going by the place several times but had never stayed in the area long enough to take advantage of the services. It was a good size place and if they had a hot bath, he was all for stopping. The quick wash the previous night hadn't been enough to completely remove a week's worth of grime from his skin. His hair probably smelt of sweat and dirt. He wasn't sure how Sakura was managing to walk beside him without gagging. Was it because the wind was blowing the smell South? It would explain the irritated look on the insane man's face.

"Hai! The baths are huge and the food is excellent. Are we going to have dinner together or in our rooms?" Anything to hold off being alone with him. A part of her was afraid that once they got alone, he was going to politely thank her, then inform her that he was going to leave by himself in the morning. If that was what he decided, she couldn't stop him from going. As much as she still cared, she wouldn't ask him to stay out of a sense of debt.

"You and Ino may head straight to the baths if you wish. Hidan and I can get us checked in and see about having dinner sent up to each room." As soon as he ordered dinner, he'd see about his own bath. Sasuke turned to the man, to see if he had a problem with that plan? He got no disagreement from the trailing couple. No one had brought up the plan for tomorrow, if there was one. All day he had thought about it, mulled over his options. He could gather up his belongings and leave the three. There was a chance that any one following would come after him. There was the greater chance that the others would try to retrieve Sakura and Ino first. He did not want to abandon them when they could be caught and put on trial for assisting him. The only way he could know that they were safe, was to remain behind. No, it was the only way for him to make sure Sakura stayed safe. Ino had someone that would die before allowing her to be taken. Seeing as the man couldn't die, enough said. However, the majority of his anxiety was for Sakura.

He had always found her boasts of devotion and love to be childish. Just as shallow as those of Karin or Ino. Like all those other girls that had fawned over him when he was younger. None of them had given up so much just to save him. Yeah, Ino did but he was sure that hadn't been out of love for him. She'd done it for the love of a best friend. It was the same as Itachi, what his brother had done. Itachi had given up everything, his home, their clan and his own life; all to make sure he was safe. To ignore Sakura's sacrifice would be the same as spitting on his brother's existence. The fact that her love was still strong enough to do so after all this time, what kind of love could she have given him, if he had not walked such a destructive path?

"Fine, I'll do it. What kind of food do you want, Wifey?" He was famished and not all that picky. Hidan looked down to where she was latched onto his arm. To the crowd they probably appeared to be a normal couple, minus the obvious weapons they were carrying. Looking down into the smudged yet beautiful face, he realized he kind of like having her hanging onto him.

"Hmm, some chicken, beef, rice, and see if they have any fresh fruit. Order tea, nothing alcoholic." Ino thought of ordering seafood but thought better of it. Someone had once told her that it could cause a woman's private area to carry a fishy scent. That was the last thing she needed.

The four stepped inside the propped open door of the Inn. The first thing Sakura noticed was that it was busy. There were several families standing about talking. A maid was trying to sweep up what appeared to be broken glass next to the waiting area table. There was also a large group of approximately eight men standing in the far corner. All were wearing casual clothing but they didn't stand like normal civilians. Two were already gazing in their direction.

"Two rooms, both with a queen bed." Sasuke spoke to the haggard old man standing behind the register. A log book was thrust towards him, "Are we checking in for one night or two?"

"Two, don't argue. You need some rest and you aren't allowed an opinion." Hidan placed both hands on the trembling shoulders. She could get angry and bitch at him later. He could sense how tired she still was and he'd handle any problems that came their way. He wouldn't have her collapsing from over-exerting herself. If it had been the Uchiha or the Forehead, they'd be dead already. They didn't have a say in it either, his wife needed to recover.

"Am I allowed anything?" Her brow jerked and she had to refrain from hitting him. It didn't matter that he was right and she would really like to relax for a bit. Still, that didn't mean she had to act the passive female. Unable to start swinging, she reached up to grasp the back of his nape and yanked him down. The grip she had was not only hard but she was pulling on his hair. "Or do I have to beg for permission first?"

Hidan hated having his hair pulled, unless it was because his face was buried between smooth thighs. The question came out as a purr, he couldn't help but get aroused at the implication. He was the damn man of this relationship, she'd do what he said. "If you keep pulling my damn hair, I'll be giving you a reason to fucking beg later. Now, take your friend and have a bath, after I get a kiss."

Did they really have to? Sakura gave her attention to Sasuke, watching him fill out the form. She didn't say anything seeing him write down a false name. What surprised her was that both names were that of a husband with his Mrs.. It made sense to pose as a married couple, less questions. He paid the clerk and got both keys. The man told them were to find the kitchen if they wanted to order something.

Was that necessary? Sasuke rolled his eyes seeing the two breathing through each other's nose. Ino was keeping it somewhat appropriate by her hands remaining on her man's neck but Hidan wasn't caring for proper behavior. The man had his hands latched onto the blonde's backside. He had both keys in his palm and turned to Sakura. He reached out to grab her hand and closed the distance between them. He was thankful that she didn't flip out from him moving in so close. His mouth came within whispering distance of her ear. "He's relaying a message, if it is a bit crude. The group in the corner, they've been watching you two since we entered. Stay close, stay together."

Right, she had noticed that. They weren't average civilians from the look of them. How harmful could they be if they were staring at her and Ino, not the other two? She was positive that both still had their names and faces on a few wanted lists. They were probably ogling Ino, she was used to the way the blonde drew the attention of male eyes. It was better to be safe than sorry. "Okay."

Good, he didn't like the way the men were watching them. Those men were shinobi of some sort. What reason would they have to inspect the females and not the two that were obviously the bigger threats? Sasuke drew back from her ear, letting his breath ghost across her cheek. The only sign of shock that registered was the widening of her eyes as he placed a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. It was meant to dictate to their observers that they were a couple. He didn't need to go as far as the Jashinist to lay claim. The warmth of her lips was nice, he could tell just from the corner that they'd be soft and smooth.

What the hell?! Sakura couldn't move feeling the gentle caress. It was just the corner for less than a second. She was almost disappointed, thinking he was going to pull away after teasing her with the hopes of something she had always wanted. Her eyes closed at the touch of his mouth coming back down to place another chaste kiss dead center. He had extremely soft lips for a male. A second kiss was given, except this time she couldn't help but return it. It was stupid and probably a mistake but if this was going to be the only time she got, she saw no reason to deny herself.

It was a mistake. He knew it as soon as she complied and returned the kiss. The timid pressure urged him to open his mouth and lick her lower lip. The small gasp gave him the entry needed to dip his tongue inside. The feel of her tongue lifting and hesitantly brushing into his, and he was pulling an Ino. He had to use his wrist instead of his fingers to keep her from pulling away. All so he could explore deeper and get a better taste.

"EH HEM, SIRS!" The desk clerk cleared his throat a second time until both males were giving him their attention. "The baths are down that hallway and through the double doors. Women to the right and Men to the left. Fresh linen will be brought some time in the morning, but always before noon. If you are not inside your room to accept the fresh linens, you may come down to request them. We have an open breakfast which is served promptly between six and nine. Please, enjoy your stay."

"We will," Ino beamed a smile at the old man and reached out to grab Sakura's arm. It was definitely time for girl time. A long soak in the hot springs was exactly what they needed to unwind and make plans. "Can you take my bags, Sweetheart?"

"Thanks," Sakura slid out of her bag in order for Sasuke to take hers as well. Their belongings would be safer locked in a room. The two men were left standing in the lobby. With a tight grip, she was directed down the mentioned hallway and into the door marked Women. There were plenty of robes lying around and a cubby to place their clothes into. Ino was already getting undressed. "Should we pay to get our clothes cleaned while we are here? My shirt has a strong scent to it. I wonder if it will come out."

"You mean it smells like Sasuke. Sorry, I know you got a thing for him but he definitely needs to hit the bath. I can't believe he was forced to go that long without a shower. Talk about cruel. Nothing smells worse than sweaty balls." Ino made sure not to say anything specific since they couldn't be sure no one was listening. They were alone in the room but you could never be too careful.

"I wouldn't know but thanks for the warning." Sakura folded her shirt and placed it inside the little basket. The bra was the next thing to come off. There was now a brown stain forming on the underside of each cup. Gross, sweat and dirt from wearing it so long.

"Yeah, hopefully Sasuke will hit the bath before joining you in bed tonight." Or the poor girl would get sick. Ino worked on the binding around her breast. It would be nice to be able to just wear a bra. Maybe once they found a place to settle down. Would she be able to convince the Jashinist to settle down? The idea of living on the run forever wasn't very appealing. One day she did want a family.

"Nothing is going to happen." That kiss had only been for show. To let the group know that they were there with husbands. Nothing more than a ploy to ward off any unwanted trouble. "What kind of soaps do they have? I need to wash my hair as well."

"You look, I can't get this damn binding undone." Finally, her boobs could breath.

There was an assortment of scents on the shelf. "They have peach, mango, lilac, something that has no name and strawberry scented. Which do you want, Ino-pig?"

"The lilac ones. I don't think I need to smell like food tonight. Though the thought of being eaten sounds interesting. Wonder what it'd feel like." Ino tossed the rest of her clothes in the growing pile. She grabbed two towels since Sakura was bringing the soaps. There were only two other females enjoying the water, both older than Tsundade.

The supplies were placed on the edge, the girls choosing a spot near the back and away from prying ears. Sakura dove straight underneath the surface, immersing her entire head. She'd have to soak her hair in conditioner for half an hour. "Being clean is going to feel so good. Uh, Ino?"

"Shush," Ino had turned her back before dropping the towel. Hiding the dried blood along her abdomen would be kind of impossible since the two older females were looking their way. It was better for them to see her ass then notice the blood. Her clothes had been black so the blood on them hadn't been noticeable. She had almost forgotten about it and hadn't thought about it. The length of her hair would hide the slight blood on her back. She slipped into the water easily and without turning around.

The first fifteen minutes went by in a comfortable silence as they both washed their hair and then their bodies. While applying conditioner the unwanted company decided to depart. Sakura waited until the door closed before asking. "So, what is it like? I mean, what is sex like?"

"Sex for normal people or for me?" Ino massaged the conditioner into her roots and thought about it. "We only did it twice and I'm not sure how to explain it. I think it's a bit different for us than it will be for you. Whenever, you do get around to doing it."

"Different? How so?"

"Eh, Jashin. It's hard to explain but I can assure you that there is a reason he lets me be bossy. Remember how he reacted when I got hurt? Not only does the curse bond us through pain but it seems to work with the pleasure to, at least for him. I guess I'll never have to worry about him really hurting me during sex and the more I enjoy it, the more he enjoys it." Ino was thankful for that little quirk.

"I see, so what is it like otherwise. Having a man in there?" She was curious. Not that she thought anything would ever happen between her and Sasuke. There was almost a certainty that he would want to leave soon. It saddened her to think about, but she wouldn't try to stop him.

Ino wasn't sure if she could compare her own sexual encounter with a normal one. "Hmm, good if he knows what he does. And I can assure you, mine knows what he is doing. Oh Gods, does he know how to use it. Makes me wet just thinking about it. Sakura, I warn you now. You may end up hearing things you don't want to hear tonight."

"Thanks, Pig. Is he that good or is he that big?" What would someone like the Jashinist be packing? She had made sure not to accidently see his privates when she had assisted in his recovery. What did Sasuke have? No, she shouldn't let her mind wander into stupid fantasies.

"Both, but more so he's huge. I'm telling you, Forehead, his cock clearly compensates for his crude attitude. I've seen many naked men while working in the hospital but DAMN. I'd have to guess about thirteen and it isn't skinny. If I were to wrap my thumb and middle finger around it, they wouldn't meet." She held up her fingers to give a correct measuring.

"Damn, Ino. You seriously took something like that? You slut." Who wanted a horse cock? She'd be satisfied with just finding someone to be with. He didn't have to be hung or that experienced.

"Screw you, Forehead. Not like I can ask him to trim some of it off. Besides, I won't apologize for enjoying being with my foul-mouth husband. He's very unorthodox but he is mine. I'm sure after Sasuke pops your cherry, you'll understand."

"Whatever," her cherry wasn't going to get popped. Sakura didn't think it would happen. Not any time soon. She still wasn't completely over Sasuke and it would probably be a long time before she found someone else. If he did try something tonight, she wasn't sure if she'd be okay with that. Not when she had no idea how he felt, if he wanted to stay with her or if he wanted to follow his own path again.

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The door opened announcing that she was back. Sasuke kept his eyes on arranging the small table that was set up in the room. Out of the corner, he could see the white robe moving around. After ordering their dinner, he had quickly visited the bath. He had almost missed the food tray being delivered. If not for Hidan bitching at the frightened maid that had accidently brought coffee instead of tea, he would have missed the delivery. He told Hidan to take their pot and they'd take the coffee. Anything to keep the poor girl from accidently wetting the carpet.

"Is that Hidan?" Sakura stopped searching for clean panties hearing the swearing in the hall. Something about not smelling and the bitch owing him. "He didn't go down with you earlier?"

"No, he said one of us should remain in case dinner was delivered. Ino is probably sending him down now from the sound of it." He had dressed in a pair of blue pajama pants. His hair was still damp from his bath. "How is Ino feeling?"

"Better, she thinks we should have brunch in their room in the morning. So we can decide what to do next." Sakura walked behind the curtain to change. It was too hot to put on anything besides a tank top and pajama shorts. What she was doing was holding her breath, waiting for a reply. Was this where he'd inform her that he would be going his own way?

"I don't suppose she has any suggestions. The further we get from Konoha, the less trouble we'll have in the future." After so many weeks the search teams would become less active. Before a year was out, they would be put on a wanted list. If they were found, they were found. Konoha wouldn't be able to afford to constantly keep searching for them.

The future? As in a group or as individuals? She stepped out from behind the curtain to find him sitting at the table waiting on her. "It smells wonderful."

"Come eat." He pulled the chair out for her, managing to move it a few inches closer to his own chair. He had an idea he wanted to run by her before tossing it to the others. There were still a few of his dreams that he didn't want to give up. Reinstating the Clan Uchiha was one of them. If he couldn't do it in Konoha, he'd find somewhere else that could benefit from his clan. After coming so close to being executed, he wanted to reevaluate his life. Even as strong as he was, as talented, he should already be dead. The only reason he was still breathing was because the kunoichi sitting next to him had been willing to risk everything for him. "I think I may have an idea but I'd rather hear your opinion on it before suggesting it to the others."

"Okay, but does that mean you're going to stay with us?" Or was this plan just a temporary solution to evade their pursuers? She had to know, the unknown was unsettling. She wanted to prepare herself if he was just going to leave again.

"I assume us means the group." They weren't really a team. "Yes, Sakura. I don't care for Hidan, at all. Seeing as he and Ino are in some strange kind of marriage, I don't expect she is going to leave him just because I think he's an ass. I would never ask you to part from your best friend, not now. So in order to stay with you, I am remaining with them."

"You don't have to stay because of what I did. I didn't do it to make you feel obligated." She wanted him to stay because he wanted to. The loss would hurt. Better to hurt from separation instead of hate. If he didn't stay of his own free will, he'd only come to hate her.

"As thankful as I am for what you did, it does not influence my decision on remaining." Not entirely, not in the way she feared. He didn't want to stay because he thought he owed her. He wanted to stay because he wanted to know if he could obtain his dreams, with her by his side. As far as what he actually felt for her, he didn't know. Before now he had never allowed himself to dwell on it. Until the end of the war, he had let his anger and hatred consume him. It wasn't until after his brother was gone and he returned that he discovered what was most important. It was just his luck that the council and most of the village believed that he didn't deserve another chance. "I'm staying because I want to."

That worked for her. She knew it was hard for him to admit it, he had his pride. It was also a start. If they remained only friends, she'd be happy knowing that he was still part of her life. "What was your idea?"

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Please review.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Here is the next chapter. It will probably be Weds or Thurs before I get the next one out. I got it done but I haven't edited it and I'm thinking of revising it a bit. Got to perfect the SakxSas interaction. I do want to thank everyone that has reviewed so far and say if you like KibaxIno or SaixSak please check out my other fic. Enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading.

I am also thinking of starting another fic (yes, I have no life). I know it is somewhat cliche but maybe a high school fic. I just can't decide on any pairings. Any comments or suggestions would be great. Right now, I'm thinking a Gaara/Sakura, but I also like a few others.

Warnings: Adult Content, Sexual Situations and Language

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Chapter Eleven

They were planning something, he could feel it in his gut. Hidan clenched his fist noticing how they kept glancing up towards the windows. The idiots were standing right underneath the street lamp, not bothering to hide their meeting. The only light they had going in the room was a single candle. Dinner had been finished over four hours ago. The tray had been placed outside the door to be taken. Ino had climbed onto the bed and passed out. He wasn't upset. The bed was comfortable enough, sleep would have been impossible to resist.

He had also wanted to see exactly what the group was up to. Had they recognized one of them? Or was there another reason they were hanging around outside? It meant no sleep tonight. No sleep meant he could wake up the wife and have some fun. After all, he had promised her that pulling his hair would have consequences.

The curtain was pulled closed to keep out prying eyes. He was the only one that could see how ethereal his wife looked as she was getting off. Those loud cries, the way the golden hair clung to her face from sweat. He was anxious to bury himself inside and make her beg.

She had fallen asleep on her back, arms stretched out and knees up. The only clothing she had on was a baggy shirt. He was positive she hadn't bothered to put on panties beneath. He quickly discarded his pants before walking to the bed. Did she have any idea how beautiful she looked, so innocent and fragile? The mass of hair was spread out on the pillow, all she needed was a halo. He had his own little angel, she was his. She was intelligent, he had trouble thinking logically. She had compassion, he did not. She was a pure soul, he was forever tainted. She was everything he wasn't. Jashin had found his perfect match. She was his other half, the better half.

It pissed him off still thinking on how that sand shinobi had tried to take her from him. The man couldn't have known about their shared curse. Kazekage's sibling or no, that fuck had every intention of killing his woman. No one would take her from him. He had no idea what kind of future she wanted with him. A life on the run, or a quiet one. One day she would be the mother of his children. Children he would one day teach about Jashin.

Children that would grow in her womb. The very idea frightened him. Her life force was connected to his, that didn't include that of a child. Only once they were old enough to give themselves over to worship, would they share the curse. If something like the other day were to happen while carrying, they could still lose a child. It would be hard to accomplish but it was possible. That wouldn't prevent him from taking her. If that time ever came, he'd have to put his foot down about the fighting and make sure she understood.

His little wife groaned feeling his weight climbing up the mattress. She didn't wake completely or fight having her knees pried apart. Hidan wasn't satisfied until he had both thighs wide apart, revealing her bare sex. She should have known better than to climb in bed without wearing anything. It was an open invitation for any man. Now to give her a reason to pull his hair.

The small slit was closed, hiding most of her assets. He had seen his share of pussy and had never found them to be something worth ogling. He found that he liked hers. It was hard to make out everything in the dim lighting. The lower his eyes got, he could make out a few differences. There was no sagging folds, it wasn't overgrown with hair. The little wife kept the area smooth. He couldn't see exactly where her hole was. He could barely make out where her clit was. Both hands were brought in front and he used his fingers to slowly part the smooth folds. His cock was dripping, taking in the tiny opening. Four fingers were used to pull further, seeing how far he could get it to spread. Not much, it was a miracle that he was able to fit his cock inside. Her pussy was perfect and he couldn't wait to taste it.

'What the hell?' Ino blinked, taking in the pale light. It wasn't the flickering light that had woken her. Or even the strange sighing nearby. It was suddenly having her crotch being toyed with. She knew whose hands were on her without having to look. The calloused fingertips, the 'Fuck' that sounded more like a growl than an actual word. Was he inspecting her? It was a little late to check out the goods. What was the point of slowly prying her…. Never mind. She almost came off the mattress. The man did not know how to be subtle. No teasing licks or kissing. What felt like a tongue was suddenly being pressed against her opening. Wiggling, pushing into her. It didn't go deep, just teased and it felt good.

The taste of her coated his tongue with each thrust. The moisture was increasing the longer he used his tongue to fuck the tiny opening. He pulled his mouth away, and rearranged his hands. One alone was used to pry the now slick folds apart so he could see. The other, he used two fingers to push inside. Slowly, he stretched her, loving the way the slick walls bore down in pleasure. He could feel it, just how much she was enjoying it. She liked having him play and tease her pussy.

"Ah, don't stop." Ino tried to bring herself down on the fingers. It dulled in comparison to his cock but pleased her for other reasons. It was a tease but she loved the way he was greedily staring at her. His eyes were glued to what he was doing.

"Lamp, turn it on." He barked the order, leaving her no room to disobey. There was the sound of fumbling as her hand searched for it. The light hurt his eyes for a second. He blinked rapidly to adjust. He got to see what he was missing with just the candle. Her pussy was a pale pink, plump, and he could see the moisture glistening from her arousal. The small nerve was begging for attention.

She wanted to feel his mouth back on her. The ass actually chuckled when she lifted her hips to indicate what she wanted. This time he didn't go back to where his fingers were still lodged inside. He latched his mouth onto her clit, sucking and licking. Her hand was brought down to grab onto his hair, not pulling but caressing. Ino wasn't sure who was being louder, her or him. The pressure was building slowly. The pleasure from each swipe of his tongue was almost good as having an orgasm. When his fingers began moving again, it was too much.

"Fuck!" He was going to cum. Hidan groaned deep in his throat feeling the tension tightening so fierce in his balls, he knew he was going to nutt all over the fucking bed. He didn't want to release onto the sheets. The intensity of what she was experiencing was more than he could take. He ripped his mouth away before allowing her to finish. A few strands of his hair were yanked out as he quickly moved up and positioned himself. With a hard thrust, he was buried deep. Her cry echoed in the room and he knew that the slight pain he was feeling had something to do with it. "Fuck, still so tight."

It wasn't as she had feared. The pain had only been barely noticeable. Just the stinging of having him stretching her open again. If possible it felt better than the first time. There was no intense pain to distract from the sensation of her walls being stimulated. As soon as he began moving the tension that had started to cool was renewed. A blaze of heat coiled so hard and fast. "Hidan."

"Do it, cum on my cock." He threw back his head and let it take him. The orgasm washed over him, mixing with hers. As he came down from the high, she was squirming beneath him. Trying to get away, to dislodge him. "We aren't done, woman."

She would hope not. As good as that had felt, the clock stated that the actual penetration had only lasted four minutes. "I know. Do me a favor and get off the bed. Please, for me. I want to try something."

It was position she'd read about and often heard others discussing. The rumor was that it was supposed to feel better than normal missionary. He did as asked and slid off of the mattress. Happy that she was getting her way, she got up on her knees and walked towards where he stood. Without saying a word, she gave him her back and bent over. Placing her elbows on the bed and arching her back. Her knees she slid further apart, lowering herself to be even with his groin. "Like this, take me this way."

Like this? None of the whores he'd been with would agree to this position when he had insisted upon it. He knew of it, just hadn't found a woman willing to let him do it. He figured it was a matter of trust. This way he'd be in complete control of the sex. The act was dominating and she was willing to let him fuck her like a dog. Very well, as long as it was her, he would aim to please. There was no denying that seeing the pale ass pushed into the air was extremely arousing. With her knees so wide, he could see the swollen folds. It made him want to go balls deep and just pound away. "How do you want it?"

Ino licked her lips feeling him placing the head at her opening. She really didn't care how he did it as long as he stopped stalling and gave it to her. The few minutes had just been a tease, she needed more than that. This was about accepting him, letting him use her for his own pleasure. She bowed her head, putting her shoulders closer to the mattress and wiggled her bottom. "I'm yours, do as you please."

"I asked, don't blame me if we wake up your friends." With that he grabbed the narrow hips to hold her steady and pulled her back as he thrust forward. Her scream was only a bit louder than his own. To make sure it wasn't a fluke he withdrew and repeated the process. It felt so fucking good, the way she was squeezing him. The position made it easier to dip inside but somehow made it tighter than before. "Fuck me, fuck, so good."

She reached for a discarded pillow and buried her face into it. Anything to smother the noise. He was taking advantage of the free reign. He wasn't even going that deep or fast but it was splitting her to the point of making her want to cry. There was no actual pain, it was just so intense, that it ached. It was odd that the pleasure was just as sharp as the ache, if she didn't know any better she'd swear that the ache was making it that much better. Having him fill her this way, she was seeing white. There was no pausing between each thrust, the constant in and out of the huge cock had her screaming.

"Cum for me. Not yet, Baby, not until you fucking cum for me." He could feel how close she was and wanted it to pass before he increased in movement. He wasn't ready to blow his load just yet. She was trying to rock back on him for deeper penetration. He wasn't ready to give her more. She was already mewling and being noisier than a teething baby. How was she going to handle taking the rest? About seven inches of his cock was constantly sinking into the slick sheath. "Oh yes, good girl."

If she was a good girl, why did he feel the need to bring a palm down on her ass? Once more the palm connected with her bottom. It didn't hurt, just stung a bit. It did the trick, she began clenching around him. The pleasure had her shaking, so bad her knees gave out and she went face first into the pillow. A strong arm wrapped around her waist and yanked her back. Helping to support her weight and kept her from moving again. The other hand stayed on her hip, yanking her back hard. "AHHH, OH FAAAAAUUUUUCK! OWE… OW….OH FUCK!"

"No, you don't." He tightened his grip around her waist, not letting up. He still wasn't giving her all of it. Hidan did increase the pace with each thrust until he was jackhammering into the sopping pussy. The sound of their fucking could be made out between each cry from the beautiful blonde he had trapped. Over and over, he took her, not caring that the cries had turned into one long hoarse whimper. There was no pain coming through the bond. They were both covered in sweat, panting as climax neared.

How much more? How long had it been since he had begun? Ino could feel her voice wanting to leave her. Her mouth was dry, her nails had cut into her palms and he was still going at it. Her core was over-sensitive, another orgasm wracked through her center. This one she was positive was accompanied by his own. The harsh pulsing along her walls and the way he yelled her name. The fierce thrusting kept her own going longer than his. The mass amount of fluid was starting to run down her thighs. He still didn't pull out or stop. The sad part was she didn't want him to. He more or less had her pinned, captive, so he could continue to fuck her over-used pussy.

Gods, she was so wet from them. Hidan released the hand that had been holding her hip to glide it along her ribcage, to cup her breast. With enough force, he was able to pull her upwards and flush against him. The position made him adjust the depth but that was no problem. He slowed the thrust and looked down at her. Wide eyes were staring up at him in awe and lust. He loved that look, she knew exactly who she belonged to. Before morning, so would everyone else.

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The frigid temperature was a complete contrast to the heat he had experienced during the day. Shikamaru took no pleasure seeing the many clouds slowly drifting by. Dawn would be upon them in about two hours. The moon was bright in the sky, on any other night he would have called it beautiful. There was no pleasure to be found in his surroundings. He also hated the way the piercing eyes refused to leave his position. He had felt it the moment his ex had spotted him on the roof. She was most likely already up for the day and had sought him out. He had escaped to the roof for some time alone. He needed to think, to figure out what to do.

The frigid bitch he had once dated had been trying to convince him all evening that his teammate was dead. What pissed him off was that she was actually gloating about it, like it was a good thing. For whatever reason, Ino had been dragged into this according to someone else's will. There was no way she'd help any former Akatsuki members. Not that man! Konoha was pathetic. They had no idea how many people Sasuke Uchiha still had loyal to him before announcing their little spectacle. They should have known that if he had any allies still out there, they would break him out. Such a weak defense, such stupidity.

It was his fault, he should have known something was wrong. They all should have. Normally, Sakura and Ino would have been the first ones at Naruto's side. Their indifference should have been a warning that they weren't themselves. Choji had also said that Ino had completely brushed him off with a cold shoulder days before. Ino would never do that to Choji. It was her kindness and acceptance of Choji that his best friend was so in love with her. The reason they both were.

He should've been with her. If he'd been at her side instead of being a coward, he would have known it the moment someone had gotten to her. It was his damn fault. He had been pulling away from her for months now. All because he felt guilty. Choji had confided in him last year that he wanted to pursue their former teammate. At that point he had already decided his own relationship with Temari wasn't going to last. He too wanted Ino. Instead of chasing after her, he had stepped aside. He'd been willing to give her up, if it meant allowing Choji to be happy. Why? He'd been a fool. He wanted her back. He wouldn't believe that she was dead or lost to him. There had to be a way to track them down.

"Shikamaru, do you mind?" Naruto spoke up, alerting the shadow-nin to his presence. It wasn't like him to be so lost in thought not to notice that someone was standing so close. Something was on his friend's mind. "I guess you can't sleep either."

Not really. All he could think about was where she was. What if she was in pain, hurting and waiting for him to find her? "No. Too much on my mind."

"I know what you mean. I realized you were missing when Temari slammed back out of the room. Not to be rude, I can see why you left her. I mean, I'd chose Ino too." Naruto got comfortable next to him. The roof wasn't exactly comfortable on his bottom but he hadn't been smart like Shika and brought a pillow to sit on.

"Heh," was he that obvious? If so then why hadn't Choji caught on? He was sure his friend had no clue as to how he really felt. If Choji did, then he wouldn't constantly be asking about him patching things up with Temari.

"What are you going to do when we get them back? About Choji?" Naruto saw the confused look and sighed. "Don't say it. I won't believe they are dead. I sure the hell won't believe that they betrayed the village. I wanted to trust in Sasuke, to be there for him. He still hasn't changed. I can't believe he is alright with them dragging his friends into this. Whoever is behind this, we will get them. We'll break whatever hold they have on Sakura and Ino."

"Thanks," he needed to hear that. Hearing the words made him feel better. Shikamaru had to trust that they'd be able to rescue them and bring them home where they belonged. "We can't bring Sasuke back, Naruto. After the recent deaths, don't be shocked if our new orders aren't to kill him."

"I've thought about that and if that is what it takes, I'll do it. Sasuke chose his own path, long ago. I will never forgive him for this. It is his fault that Sakura is gone." Naruto cringed seeing the outline of four ponytails not far from them. Seriously?! How fanatic could she be? Well, if she wanted to eavesdrop, they would give her something to listen to. "You didn't answer my question. What are you going to do once we get her back? I know how Choji feels but is it fair to you? I mean what if she wants you?"

"Then she will have me." It saddened him, to know that it had taken this to get off of his own lazy ass. If it took her being taken and the thought of never seeing her again to make him realize that she was worth fighting for, did he deserve her? Probably not, but he didn't care. He would let her know how he felt. It would be her choice. "And I'll kill anyone that tries to take her from me."

"Right on. Just hold on, Sakura. I'll be there soon."

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Please take a second and review for me, it is appreciated.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Here is the next chapter. I did cut it a bit short, sorry. If not, then it would not have been updated until this weekend. Thanks for the reviews, reading them is awesome. No Sakura x Sasuke smut just yet, but very soon. I just don't think a quick romp would justify it. This is not a recap of my own sex life. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own it

Warnings: Language

Chapter Twelve

It was strange, the feeling of waking next to someone. Not in a bad way, just different. Sasuke wasn't sure what time they had managed to doze off in the night. Sometime after the noise next door had ended. He couldn't recall ever laughing so hard, as he had last night. Hearing Ino hollering shouldn't have been that hilarious, just seeing the look of dismay cross Sakura's face had done it. At that point they had already climbed onto the bed to get some sleep. The conversation had been light, pleasant. The joy that he'd felt at just being able to relax and savor a funny moment with someone, it made him long for something more.

Seeing her lying snuggled up next to him, he knew what it was. He wanted someone to share his life with. In his short life so much negative had already happened. She was the only positive thing he had and he couldn't really say that he had her. They weren't a couple, never had been. He had seen to that. As things stood, he wasn't sure how to go about becoming one. He wasn't any good at the sensitive things. Knowing that he wanted to finally try a relationship, didn't give him the knowledge of how to go about obtaining it. Simply telling her didn't seem right. The words would sound hollow, even to his own ears. How to let her know that he thought of her as more than a comrade? How to make up for his past?

She looked so peaceful lying next to him. Sometime during the night she had managed to roll over and cuddle up next to him. He had woken with his arm around her waist. It was comforting, serene. What would it be like, to live knowing that she'd be there every morning to wake up beside him? Is this what having a wife felt like? Having the one you want to remain with, at your side.

Didn't it mean something that she had abandoned the others for him? She could have remained safe in Konoha. There she could have pursued a relationship with Naruto, who was still smitten with her. There was also Rock Lee, a shinobi that would die for her. Sakura had her share of admirers as well but she had chosen to forsake all of that, for him. If he wanted her, he would have to pursue her. Talk wouldn't be enough, he would have to let his actions speak for him.

Sasuke wanted her in his future, as his wife. He also wanted his first time to be with her. They had no idea what would happen now. They could leave the inn and be slain by pursuers. There was so much uncertainty down the path they were walking. He wanted to be with her, as a man. His hand had already begun creating circular patterns along her spine. The thin material of the pajama top was in the way and as tempted as he was to slide his hand beneath the clothing, he didn't think she was quite ready for what he had in mind.

"Sasuke?" Why was he looking at her that way? She couldn't make out what kind of expression he was wearing. It was a mix between anger and awe. Was something wrong? Wha….Hot lips moved forward to capture her mouth. Half-asleep or not, he was taking up where they had left off yesterday evening. His tongue invaded her mouth, probing gently. He tasted faintly of mint and tea. For years she had fantasized about what a kiss would be like. She had imaged that his kisses would be slow, sweet and romantic. The urgent swipe of his tongue against her own was needy, urgent and exciting. Her body wasn't filled with warmth or contentment. As he probed, an electric shiver was running through her veins.

He used his arm to pull her flush against him. There was no way to hide the effect the kiss was having on him. The small gasp vibrated against his tongue, but she didn't try to pull away. She met the kiss, running fingers through the back of his hair. He couldn't suppress his shiver, the tips running along his nape. It seemed it was a very sensitive spot.

Ino's voice rang through her mind feeling the hardness pressing against her thigh. There was no mistaking what it was, or that he wasn't as small as Hidan had accused him of being. It wasn't poking her but the length was noticeable. The little nagging voice that was telling her to pull away was hushed. The hand that had been casually rubbing through the shirt had made its way beneath. His hands were warm, soft and dare she say timid? He broke the kiss long enough to allow for a quick breath.

The sudden pounding went off like a paper bomb. Sakura rolled her eyes hearing the swearing before it ended with a 'Hurry, the hell up in there.' The man had horrible timing. Why couldn't he have waited an hour? Just when it could have went somewhere. How far could it have gone? His hand was no longer underneath her shirt but they were still close. "Uh?"

"We should get up." Before they went further. Sasuke placed one last kiss on her mouth before putting space between them. Today was going to be long and tense, planning was always a pain in the ass. Having to plan around potential pursuit and ambushes made it more annoying. One thing he did want to plan for, his future. His idea would lead them to a place where no one could find them, it also put them away from most civilization. If he wanted to do things right, he would have to do it before then. "Sakura, I have a request."

"Hai." Was he upset? She couldn't tell if he was, despite the serious look he had taken on. Was it a mistake? Was he changing his mind? It had only been a kiss and a bit of touching. Nothing to be stressed over.

"Before things go further, I need to ask something of you." He was a lot of things. Traitor, murderer, liar and an asshole. One thing his father had taught him; physical relations weren't to be taken lightly. Which was why he had never indulged in the easy pleasure many had offered him. There had been numerous offers, just to get his attention. There were a few he could have had sex with, without having to worry about making false promises. He had never indulged himself because he didn't believe that it was something that should be done without marriage. Sex without commitment was cheap and not worth his effort. Getting off on a girl that meant nothing was no better than jacking one off. If they were going to remain together, he wanted to start things out right. "Will you consider marriage to me?"

Eh? Marriage? As in the wife that he'd be with from now on? The one to have kids for him? At most she'd been hoping to one day to become his girlfriend. Just having him consider being with her would be a huge step. This wasn't what she'd been expecting. Did he not understand what it meant? He was stuck with her now but in the future he would have more options. "You need not ask because you feel obligated to stay with me or that I am the only option. I t…"

"Baka!" What was going through her mind? Doubts? She was entitled to her doubts. He didn't want a girlfriend. That term applied to those that were still deciding what they wanted. When you were still unsure if the person was the one. "You aren't saying anything I haven't already thought about. I do not want to see what other choices I may have in the future. My future is with you. I can't guarantee how long it will be or what will come of it but I've already decided. Who I want, but I will not disrespect you. It would have been nice to date first but circumstances have taken that option out of hand. If I take you, it will be as my wife. You do not have to decide right now."

"Hai! I will!" It wasn't a declaration of feeling or very romantic but it was enough. Sakura didn't want to think about it, in case she tried to talk herself out of it. She didn't think he'd ask if he weren't serious about staying with her. She'd probably never hear those three words but that was okay. She didn't want to lose him and he was asking her to remain at his side. Until then she would do her best to be supportive and a good wife. "I'll marry you."

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"Ugh! You people suck!" Why the fuck was Forehead so damn happy? It was too early for this shit. How could she focus when her eyes were burning? Chipmunks had taken up residence in her brain. Someone had taken a scolding iron to her puss too. That just explained why her freaking husband was in such a good mood.

Someone looked like shit too. Sakura sat down on the seat next to the blonde and reached for the coffee pot. They would be needing this today. There was a lot to do before they left in the morning. She was going to leave most of the navigating and planning to those two. She really didn't care where they ended up but Sasuke had a nice idea. She just wasn't sure how he was going to pull it off. "Have some coffee."

That wouldn't help with her crotch. What was up with that map? She didn't know Sasuke had one. The tray was yanked closer to give the two males some room. "Well, whatever you two are planning, it better not be cold or too hot. I don't like sweating."

"That's not the impression you gave through the walls last night." Sasuke rolled the map out and used a pin to keep it open. The low comment got a satisfied grunt from the man and a groan from the blonde. He wasn't entirely sure what the weather would be like, he had never been to the place. If his research was right, no one had been there in over seventy years. "We are currently here. Just inside the border."

"Hai, we are officially out of Fire but still inside Wind. What is your fucking point? Staying inside the five nations will be dangerous, no matter where we end up. What about going to another village?" Hidan didn't want to stay in this place. It was too dry for his liking.

If the man would shut the fuck up long enough. Sasuke knew the plan would be risky. "Shut up and listen. One of the things I did while remaining with Orochimaru was do extensive research on the nations and the surrounding villages. If I know the Hokage, she will have those we know searching for us. It may take weeks or months, but they would eventually find us, if we decide to take up residence in one of the known villages."

The pussy had a point. Running from trouble wasn't his style, however, it wasn't just him anymore. Hidan smirked seeing the weariness on her features. Ino was trying not to fall asleep at the table. The other female was munching on a bagel, loaded with spread. Running was alright, just not ideal for what he had in mind. "I'm not staying in that creepy bastard's left over hideouts."

"I'm not suggesting that we should. I'm suggesting that we go to a village that no longer exists." Sasuke placed his finger on the map. "I'm suggesting that we go here."

"What? I can swim but I don't want to live on a boat." Ino didn't like boats, too many bad experiences while being on them. That bagel looked kind of good. "Wow, thank you, Forehead. You read my mind, I'm famished."

"Not a boat, an island." Sasuke had thought of marking it but it wasn't wise. On the chance that someone else got a hold of his map. He didn't want anyone else to discover where they were going by accident. "If my research is correct, there is an island northwest of the small harbor town. There used to be a shinobi village on the island until about seventy years ago."

"What happened to it? Or did the fucks decide it was better off as a resort?" Hidan sneered at the idea. It wouldn't be the first village to end up that way.

"No, it was abandoned after all of the shinobi unexpectedly died during in an attack. The only information I could find was speculation. Rumor was that the nearby warlords feared how popular the village was becoming. Instead of allowing them to become powerful they wiped it out. The five nations don't care for it when a small village tries to appoint their own Kage." Sasuke knew the exact coordinates of the abandoned village. He had once thought it would make a great place to build a hidden base.

"That's true. Did this village have one?" Sakura had heard all about the concept before. Naruto had gone on about his mission to the Village Hidden in the Stars. All about their training with some piece of rock and their concept of having their own Kage. The smaller villages could boast about the title but only the main five were actually acknowledged.

"Yes, it did. And that is probably why they were eliminated. With most of their shinobi slain, the civilians left for the mainland." There was no telling what kind of condition the place was in. Sasuke could think of a few other places for them to hide but none that were more appealing.

"An abandoned village? What the fuck are we going to do there? Die of boredom?" Hidan didn't like it. It would be an ideal place to hide but how would they survive? What the fuck would they do for food? "Or is there something you aren't telling us?"

"Well, it is completely abandoned. We have no idea what shape the place will be in." Sasuke continued because he wasn't superstitious. "Most won't go near it because it is rumored to be haunted. They say that due to its name, it was cursed from the time it was created."

"Jigokugakure? Are you fucking insane? Did the Uchiha madness rot your brain?" Hidan crossed his arms, he wasn't going near the place. It had been dubbed that for a freaking reason. Hell, the shinobi hadn't been slain, they had fled the place. He had no idea where it was but he'd heard the name once during his time in Akatsuki. "I'm not taking my wife to that shit place."

"Why not? Is it haunted?" Said wife spoke around a mouthful of bacon.

"The Village Hidden in Hell." Sakura rolled the name around on her tongue. It didn't sound very pleasant or welcoming. What kind of place was it?

"Exactly, it was called that because the island was once attached to the mainland over two hundred years ago. Until a tidal wave washed the land away, leaving the large island separated. When they built the village, it was built on the long decayed corpses of those that had died. The island is said to always be surrounded by a thick red mist. So there are rumors of it being haunted and cursed." Sasuke didn't believe in ghosts. There was probably a plausible explanation for the other things. "Like I said, it is a risky plan. If we find it, we have no idea what we are walking into."

"I think we should go." Ino saw that Sakura wasn't shocked to hear the plans. The two must have discussed it last night. If Sasuke was going to take them there, it meant he was staying with them. "It's a long way but that may be what we need. Konoha isn't going to search at places that no longer exist. Even if by chance they hear of it, who cares? I say we check it out."

"Whatever, we can check it out then decide what to do." He wasn't going to argue. If they wanted to see the piece of shit village, he would go along with it. If it was abandoned, they could set up something permanent. He'd just leave the little wife home when he felt the need to kill something. "It's a long fucking walk. I suggest grabbing some supplies and heading out."

Sakura could feel the dark eyes testing her, to see what she'd do. Sasuke had said that it would be up to her. They could go through with the wedding now, or wait. Waiting would be the smart thing to do but she had never listened to her head when it came to him. If Ino could marry a complete stranger and try for a future, then she saw no reason why she shouldn't be with someone she had always wanted. "Um, I'd like to stay until the morning. We are hoping to get married while in the village. There aren't many more places on the way and we've already paid for the extra night."

"AHHHHH!" Ino jumped up from the seat hearing the news. No shit?! The two were going to get hitched? What had brought this on? It didn't matter, it was their business. What she did know was that she wasn't letting Sakura get married in that getup. At least one of them was going to get married in a beautiful gown. Her own wedding had been strange and a bit morbid, Sakura was the only one left. "We've got to get you something to wear. Oh, this is going to be exciting. We'll have to get your dress. Something sexy for tonight. Oh, some flowers. This is going to be fun."

"Pig! It isn't going to be that kind of wedding. Just something simple to make it official. I mean, we do need to conserve what money we have." She didn't want to make a big fuss over it. It was a big deal to her but the circumstances weren't normal.

"Bullshit, you can still look nice for it. I'm sure Sasuke will agree. I got an idea, why don't you two go shopping for supplies? They can also find someone to perform it. We will meet up here afterwards." Ino swallowed the last of the bacon and waved off any complaints. The weariness from earlier was gone. They had some shopping to do and then she had to help Forehead get ready.

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The morning shopping had gotten them a cream colored kimono, a veil, and a pair of silk boots. The only thing they hadn't been able to find was the perfect bouquet. Sakura had to settle for a hastily put together disarray of flowers. Ino almost complained seeing the horrible assortment. Knowing that this was a special day, she kept all rude comments to herself. The purchases had been dropped off inside the room already.

"I wonder what is taking them so long." Ino wanted to get the wedding done. The excitement was slowly being overcome by exhaustion. Once they watched the couple say their vows, she was going to crash.

Was she making the right choice? They were on the run and marriage was a big commitment. By now Sasuke had probably already paid for someone to perform the ceremony. They were on their way downstairs to take a bath. "Ino, do you think this is a mistake?"

"Marriage?" Agreeing would make her a hypocrite. Ino could understand the concern. "Sakura, don't over-analyze it. He wouldn't have asked if he didn't want to go through with it. I'm not going to talk you out of it. You have a better chance of making a marriage with Sasuke work, than I do with Hidan. I know we never thought things would end up this way but does it matter? You love him that is the important thing. Did you have sex?"

"You pig! No, we didn't. I think he wants to make sure we are married before we do anything. I mean, I think he wanted to do something. It felt like he wanted to." He had been hard.

"Eh, stop." Ino grabbed her arm to prevent her from taking another step. The hallway was empty but something wasn't right. There was a pungent scent filling the air. She knew she hadn't squeezed one out. "Did you fart?"

"No, I thought that you did." Which is why she hadn't said anything sooner. There was no one else in the hall, so she had assumed Ino had let one go. It was so raunchy, it was hurting her eyes. It reminded her of the one time she had gone to see Naruto and he had left friend eggs in his fridge for over a month. She coughed, trying to clear her lungs. There was no warning before Ino hit the floor. "Hang on, I got you."

Or she was trying. Sakura was sure the hallway was swaying beneath her feet. Her fingers did nothing but slip across the cotton of Ino's blouse and the carpet rose to meet her face. It was hard to breath, to focus on the sounds around her and then it all went dark.

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Yes, I left it there.. Please review.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Here is the next chapter. And probably the moment some have been waiting for. Some Sak x Sas time. However, I'm not satisfied with it. It was hard for me to go about it since it is the first time for both of them. I couldn't really have it long and drawn out because seriously, a guy's first time, no way he is going to last that long. He also isn't experienced so I think having a lot of foreplay wouldn't be right either since they are both new to it. But on the other hand I didn't want it to come off as a wham-bam-damn-what the fuck was that man. If it sucks too bad I'll revise it. And now that we got to this point, all interaction will be equal between boths couples. Thanks a bunch!

Warnings: Language, Violence, and Sexual Contents.

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Chapter Thirteen

"Wake up, wake up!"

Who the hell was bothering her? Sakura didn't recognize the voice. The panic and fear laced in each word. The side of her face was itchy and there was an ache in her legs. Was there something on her middle? Movement, she felt like the world was moving. The weight on her stomach was jarred with a bump. "Ugh, where am I?"

"We are still moving."

"We?" She did get up to the sobbing. Dusk was falling around them, making it difficult to make it all out. Her hands were tied behind her back, the unwanted weight was a blonde head. She counted five others besides herself and Ino. There was actually bars on the wagon, making it a cage on wheels. She blinked rapidly noticing the sniffling brunette looking at her hopefully. "You're that maid that brought our breakfast."

"Hai! We woke up here when they tossed you two inside. Is your friend okay?" The maid didn't have her hands tied.

"She'll survive, trust me. Why am I bound?" Not just with rope but they were chakra infused. Breaking them wasn't an option. Ino was also in the same position, if snoring like a log. She had no idea why they were being taken or where to but she couldn't do much with her hands bound and completely naked beneath the robe. She hated being helpless. Wait, where the fuck were the other two? All she could see were females. Great, they had been targeted for their gender. All of them were young and attractive, this wouldn't end well.

"I heard the one say that you two may be dangerous because your husbands may be shinobi. Will they look for you?" The question got all of the women to look at her, with hopeful expressions.

"Huh, you bet. I'm not sure how long it will take or if they will find us but…" Wait, this could work. Ino needed to wake her lazy ass up and this would also make sure that Hidan knew they were in trouble. "I need you to do a huge favor. Slap my friend."

"What?"

"Trust me, she can take it and it will help. Wake her up, haul back and knock her in the face. She can't hit back, she's tied. Trust me or would you rather wait until they did something disgusting to us. HIT HER!" Sakura hissed the order. The brunette maid shook her head and moved back. Thankfully, the other blonde in the cage moved forward and lifted Ino's prone form into a sitting position. The palm came down hard across the pale cheek.

The pain did the trick. Ino saw red at the audacity of someone. She hollered and lunged towards the direction of the attack. The person was too quick and gravity brought her down onto her shoulder. "Fuck! What the hell, Forehead?"

"About time you woke up. So, do you think your husband felt that or do I need to kick you for good measure?" Sakura asked with a wide smile. It had been funny to watch someone bitch-slap her. It was needed, she wasn't allowed to remain angry. "Are you okay?"

"Besides the busted lip and my shoulder hurts like a bitch, I'm dandy. Why am I showing everyone my ass?" Hands helped to right her position on the hard wood. There was straw on the floor, poking her bare skin. What kind of cord was on her hands? Where were they being taken? Were they stopping? "What is the situation?"

Sakura wanted to say completely fucked but refrained. She could make out the two pulling the prison through a crack in the cover. "We are tied so our hands are useless. I counted seven males in total. Two have been pulling the wagon at a fast pace. Those muscles aren't just for show. I'd say they have us covered as not to arouse suspicion from other travelers. With this wagon, they will have to remain on the road. Got any ideas? Or do we wait to be rescued?"

"Hmm, they are coming." If the anger Ino could feel was a clue. She was a bit irritated at being gassed out, it didn't account for the fury that made her want to shiver. "I'd suggest waiting but we have to be stopping for a reason. You and I can defend ourselves but they probably can't. We need to get our hands undone. At least yours, so you can fight."

"I can't break them but I may be able to slip out of them. If only we had something to make it slick. Anyone feel the need to hack?" Sakura tried to wiggle her hands free. The fucking cord was too strong, it would have to be slipped off. "Blood. Someone bleed."

"Like we have a kunai." Ino snapped in impatience. There was nothing to be used as a weapon and the small cut on her lip was already healing. "Wait, I have an idea. Sakura, kick me in the face. Aim for my nose and make it good. Just try not to knock out my teeth. Hurry up."

"Don't pass out on me, I might need you." Sakura felt a tad guilty having her best friend get into the position. If Hidan was on his way, he was about to get pissed. She didn't envy Sasuke in the next minute. Without putting any excess force, she slammed her foot straight into the tensed face. She felt the cartilage break under the pressure and the scream of pain wasn't suppressed. She hastily turned to place her hands in the flow.

It was hard to see anything through the tears. Ino knew she was crying, they fell to mix with the blood. Two of her teeth were loose and her face was probably fucked up beyond all recognition. The steady stream fell onto Sakura's hands and wrists. The injury wasn't in vain, the hands slid free of the binding. "Ah, I can't see."

"What the fuck is going on back here?" The back flap opened and everyone rushed to the front of the cage. The man was huge, well over six feet tall. Sakura recalled seeing his face at the Inn. His eyes widened seeing the blood, "Yuki!"

She charged before he could notice that her hands were untied. The man managed to dodge the attack. He was quicker than he looked. There was also another male standing next to the opened cage. Sakura's shoulder hit the metal bars, having to dodge the hammer that swung down. Hands grabbed her from behind, six hands. She shouldn't hide the shock seeing that the one male had somehow grown four extra arms. The other five were now standing around the opened door, pinning them all in. Before fighting further, she decided to wait. Best to play it cool and see what would happen. The man had dodged her punch, she hadn't shown much of her skills. "Let go of me."

"What is with all the blood? Were they fighting?" A slender male with blue skin was climbing into the back, he was wielding a bow. "Dammit, one of them is fucked up."

'No shit,' Ino winced as she cracked her nose back into place. She could feel it already trying to heal and there was no way she would allow it to end up crooked. Rearranging it, had fresh tears flowing. Hands were on her, pulling her until she was flush against a hard chest. Not only could she not see but she was sticky from all the blood. The hands grabbing were rough.

"Dammit, Yuki, it is the one I want. Keep your bitch in line." This came from a giant of a man with no hair. "Give her to me before I rip off your arms."

"Give her to him, now. I'll take mine as well."

Sakura assumed that one was Yuki. He was the second largest of the group and probably the leader. He was also the most dangerous. The man had long crimson hair that fell to his waist. The tattered vest hung open to reveal a muscular chest and a tattoo of a moon. Two serrated blades hung at his sides. So much for hoping they were just a bunch of pushovers. Only two would be easy to overtake. Her stomach pinched in fear seeing the other men reaching inside to withdraw the screaming women. There was no way she could take all of them out.

"I wonder how much I'll get for this one." The frightened maid was the one being inspected.

Many-fingers shoved her towards the one named Yuki. The strength of one arm grasped her shoulder, tight enough to leave bruises. Causing a distraction would be pointless. The other females were so frightened they wouldn't make a run for it. Ino was now being cradled by the large one and still holding her face. The only good thing that had come out of it was her hands were still free. When had Ino managed to get her own hands free? There was blood also on the maid's hands. So sometime after rushing out, she had helped Ino slid her hands free as well.

"Split from this point. We will meet back at the hideout in four days. Do what you want with your loot but if you sell, you settle. So don't think you can have it both ways, Tarrick." Yuki spoke to the man holding the whimpering maid. "Those keeping their loot can head back with us."

Ino assumed loot meant 'female'. Baldy was already walking towards the leader. She almost felt horrible when only the one that had been warned, decided to come over too. The other four men had their females tossed over their shoulders. Were they going to be sold? There was nothing they could do to help. Not when they weren't armed. It would help if her head wasn't throbbing. The pain from the kick had dulled but a migraine remained. There was also the sensation of red heat. She figured this to be some kind of emotion from Hidan. It was very, very close.

Not close enough. With a grunt she was being carried away. As the three men raced away from the discarded cage, she saw why they had stopped. There was a huge ravine in front of them. A wooden bridge was crossed in seconds. Acting now would put them all in danger. It was safer to wait for the right time to strike. Seeing as they hadn't bothered to retie their hands, the two weren't worried about them causing trouble. She was more worried about what would happen once her husband showed up. "Ugh."

"I'll see to your wound once we get back to the hideout." The bald one had a low voice for something so huge.

Sakura almost snorted at the comment. She was sure the bleeding had already stopped and was healing with each second. Unlike Ino, she had been tossed over a shoulder. In the distance she caught the flash of black at the start of the bridge. Their captives didn't seem to be aware of their followers. She would have to ask Ino to be sure about the chakra signatures to be certain. That wasn't plausible, so she just watched. It was a shame the leader was a kidnapper, he had a nice butt.

"Kyoushi, sever the bridge." Yuki heard the girl gasp at his order. Did she really think they wouldn't notice? It was the reason they hadn't stopped long enough to indulge in their prizes thus far. The others could find another way back.

"Hai," Kyoushi placed the blonde to her feet, without releasing her top half. He wouldn't have her running onto the bridge. He had picked her specifically. The pink-haired kunoichi screamed as he set the ropes on fire. It was a fifty foot drop to the bottom. Even if the men survived, it would slow them down.

"Owe! You asshole." Sakura brought her elbow into the man's head. It did nothing more than make him grunt. Not even with the extra strength did he flinch. The hand was brought back down upon her ass. Every time he slapped her, she would give him an elbow. The jerk was even running while spanking her.

"You can desist, your chakra is too weak to do any damage. You're only annoying me."

Weak? Her chakra was weak? Just who the fuck was this guy? What was wrong with her chakra? Sakura seethed at the insult. As soon as she could, she was going to kick his ass. See if he thought her weak when she smashed his balls into dust. At least she wasn't as pathetic as Ino or the other one. The maid was now constantly weeping, Ino was vomiting from the sounds. "She's sick, let me down."

"She'll live," Yuki didn't care if the blonde shit herself. They weren't stopping. It was just from the speed and height of travel that was getting to the girl. There was no point in struggling or weeping. They should be grateful that they were prettier than the others they had taken. Luck had been on their side, to find so many appealing females in that village. After their last mission, he thought it was time they had some fun. He also knew that his brother was wanting a permanent female in his bed. Going to the local whores was getting old. He had been unsure if he wanted to find one for himself, until he had spotted the two shopping. He had given the order for both to be brought untouched.

'No, I won't.' Ino felt a tad better seeing the vomit hit the back of the man's shoe. Her stomach was rebelling from the constant bouncing. Her head was near splitting and her man wasn't helping. Her stomach was churning for many reasons, it made being bounced on the meaty shoulder unbearable. There went breakfast and a lot of stomach acid. Once her stomach was empty she felt loads better. So good, she reached down and lifted the back of his shirt to wipe the spittle from her mouth.

"Don't use my shirt." It was the only clean one he had. He had to wear it until she washed the rest of his clothes. It would be a few days before she'd be allowed out of the room in order to start doing chores. It had been months since he'd had a woman that smelt so good, minus the puke. "Do it again and I'll be borrowing your robe."

"Like it would fit your fat ass." The fucker was huge, all of it muscle. Ino couldn't detect an ounce of fat and he had to weigh a good three hundred plus. Screw this, she had to pee. Ino smiled seeing that the ugly guy was behind them. The other man had called him Tarrick. She had this, and she wouldn't have to lift a finger. The other man didn't know what hit him. Ino knew she had to act fast or the distance would cause a problem. The ugly man tossed the maid onto the ground, the girl rolled but wasn't harmed.

Ino lifted herself upwards as she made Tarrick release the kunai. The aim was perfect, it went right into her shoulder, close to her heart. The scream was extra loud to gain the attention of her carrier. The man skid to a halt to see what the problem was.

"What the hell are you doing?" Yuki couldn't believe the idiot would attack them. Not them, his brother's prize? Or had the aim been off? He had known that the man was greedy but this was foolish.

"Put me down, please. I can heal her." Sakura wasn't sure what was going on but Ino was groaning and hanging limply on the man's shoulder. The large man placed her on the ground to inspect the damage.

"Let her try, I don't want to lose this one. Obviously, Tarrick isn't too happy with what he was given since he has tossed it aside. I'll handle this." Kyouchi placed the girl onto the ground gently. It was definitely the traitor's kunai sticking out. "Have you lost your mind? Since your aim isn't that horrible, you meant to kill my new woman. Well, I'll just have to kill you and use yours as my new servant."

Dammit, the bony man had some serious will. Ino almost lost her hold on him. She was having trouble keeping a pained looked but mission accomplished. The man had placed her out of the way and Sakura was allowed to rush over to her. Just another minute or two and they could make their move. The discarded maid was on her knees but not moving, she too was confused about this turn of events.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself before I allow him to kill you?" Yuki directed the question to his former teammate. He wasn't worried about his prize running off. The two were obviously close and she wouldn't run and leave her friend here wounded.

'Right, like she'll let him speak.' Sakura had to hold in the coarse laughter seeing how hard the scared kidnaper was struggling to say something in his defense. She yanked out the kunai to heal the wound. It wasn't needed, but she went through the motions while the clang of metal could be heard.

Ino pointed towards the other girl, indicating that she would grab her. Sakura's free hand went to the kunai. At most she could buy them a minute before the redhead gave chase. It may be enough. Ino rolled and got to her feet. Sakura took the cue and spun to slam her fist into the ground. Ino released the jutsu but not soon enough to spare the third member. His scream was heard through the scattering debris.

The first few seconds seemed to be going in slow motion. Sakura saw that Ino was two steps ahead. The maid was already on her feet with wide eyes. They had been found out, "Hurry, Ino. They are up ahead."

Easier said than done, she was now carrying an extra hundred pounds. It had done the trick, there was enough distance between them. Ino had never felt so happy seeing someone rushing towards her. A foot in front then above, she slid to a halt. The poor maid was half-placed, half-dropped onto her butt. Ino hissed having her neck snatched and she was yanked towards a volcano. "Owe, take it easy."

"How bad are you hurt?" Hidan narrowed his eyes on the blood. She was fucking covered in it. How much did she think she had? What the hell was she doing carting around some other girl when it was clearly slowing her down?

"Sakura," Sasuke was glad that his face was already flushed from the exertion of running and anger. The cotton covered arms went around his waist in a tight hug. He brought both his arms around her shoulders to complete the embrace. They were both safe and alive. Ino looked like she had seen better days but they had been more worried about them having to go through something more uncomfortable. When they had learned that many females had been discovered missing, they had gone straight back to the Inn to find them gone. There was only one reason to take young females. "Sakura, get back."

She didn't want to. Seeing the duo stopping ten feet away, she tightened her hold on him. This enemy wouldn't easily be defeated. Having him rushing in and getting injured wasn't something she'd allow to happen. "Don't, they aren't weak. My attacks had no effect on the smaller one."

"So they aren't a couple of pussies, it just means we can have some fun." Hidan was glad to hear it. It would suck if they went down too easy. Someone had to suffer for the blood that had been spilt. "Now, which fuck made my wife bleed?"

"Well, I haven't yet but I aim to once I get her alone. I'm known for my size, after all." Kyoushi assumed that the blonde he was shielding was the wife, his blonde. She didn't seem weak from being injured by the kunai. Good, it meant she was durable. The perfect woman to have in his bed every night.

"Enough, Brother. There is no need to tell them of our plans. Now, release her. I'd hate for my woman to get scratched because you're a coward." Yuki was pleased that the runt pushed her away. He would dispose of the intruder, then punish her for trying to run. No matter how fast that shinobi was, he wouldn't be able to touch him. Neither man would have what it took to injure him or his brother. Their Kekkai Genkai toughened their skin like steel. He doubted any of these shinobi was capable of penetrating it. The girl's chakra had lacked intent, true strength. "You can die knowing that I want hurt her, too much."

"Like hell," Sasuke used his hand to direct her behind him. Ino was smart enough to move back. The anger rolling off his companion was almost tangible. His own boiled deep in his gut at the thought. He wasn't going to let this man have her.

Hidan struck first, his scythe aimed to take the man's head off. As expected, his opponent dodged in time to only come through with a scratch. A beefy hand reached up to run along the opened flesh.

"Heh, you actually cut me."

"I'll do more than fucking cut you."

There was no time to worry over where their fight was going. Sasuke drew his weapon to block the twin blades. Over and over, the redhead swung at him. The only talent the man seemed to have was his speed. There was no actual style to the attacks and the man's chakra was flowing through the skin. It was easy to predict the movements. The chakra wasn't just flowing from his chakra points, it seemed to be fused with his skin. No matter, it would not save him. "You lose."

Impossible. How could the little bastard predict his moves? What was up with his eyes? "How? Your kind are dead."

"No, you are." Sasuke was disappointed. He sliced through the man's throat. Only a few minutes and it was over. Besides that strange trait, the man had been weak. He wanted to strike again, to punish the man. The tip of his blade sank into heaving chest, "You chose the wrong woman to steal."

"You pansy!" Hidan sneered seeing the corpse fall to the ground. How was he going to enjoy this if the fuck didn't take his time with his own kill? He was just starting, the ritual was about to begin. This one would suffer and would pay the price for making them come all the way out here.

"What is your name?" Ino crouched in front of the poor maid. She didn't think the girl needed to see what was happening. Hidan was probably going to play with his prey.

"Liena." And why was that man screaming like that?

"Great, ignore that. Are you hurt?" Sakura leaned down to help Ino distract from the torture. Sasuke was walking back over to them. She was relieved to see that he was unharmed.

Was all that necessary? Sasuke rolled his eyes seeing the sadistic man shove a kunai into his side. The sooner it was finished, they could return to their rooms. He had plans. They wouldn't be able to get married until tomorrow now.

"Hidan, what the hell are you doing? I gotta pee. If you don't finish now, you will be sleeping on the floor for the next week." Ino shouted behind her shoulder. They had things to do. There was little chance they'd run into the other four that had taken hostages. As much as she felt sorry for them, they didn't have the time to track them down. The longer they remained in this area, the riskier it was.

"Fine, be a nag. Pfft, you're lucky the wife is so fucking impatient." And he didn't like the idea of sleeping on the floor. He knew her well enough to know that the floor meant, no pussy. With a stab to the heart, the large man fell to the ground. One of these days he was going to take his time. Not that Jashin cared about how long it took to gift the sacrifice. He'd just wait until he ran into those sand shinobi again.

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Whoever said silence was golden, was a liar. The silence was about to drive Sakura insane. Neither of them had bothered speaking since climbing into bed, over an hour ago. Dawn was fast approaching and then they would have to get back up. He said the time for their vows was right before noon. However, they wouldn't be able to remain in the Inn another night. Too much had happened. If not for needing their belongings and already having paid for the service, they would have left immediately. Sasuke had made sure she was alright before climbing in beside her. He was laying on his back but his eyes were closed. His breathing was steady and even, he was awake.

As exhausted as she was, she didn't feel like sleeping. Her hopes had been that this would be her wedding night. They would be spending that on the road, with little chance of having privacy. She also didn't want their first time to be on the rough ground or rushed. Had he failed to notice that she climbed into be wearing just the sheer gown? Ino had tried to convince her to purchase something skimpier. She knew he was wanting to wait until after the vows, out of respect. Would one night make a difference? Him changing his mind wasn't a worry. He wasn't the type. And she wanted to be with him.

She lifted up on her elbow and watched the steady rise and fall of his chest. Mind set, she crawled and straddled his lap. His eyes opened at the feel of her plopping down on him. The dark eyes watched her, he didn't say a word. Sakura took it as a sign that the ball was in her court. He wasn't going to instigate anything physical but wasn't going to stop her from doing it. She leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on his mouth.

The last thing Sasuke wanted to do was tell her to stop. The kiss deepened, becoming more passionate and needy. Arms wrapped around the slender back, pulling her closer to him. It also forced her bottom to lift a few inches off of his groin. The damn gown was annoying, it obstructed the feel of the skin beneath. As if reading his mind, she broke away from him and sat back up.

"Oh," Sakura heard his gasp and almost worried that she may have hurt him. With her knees on each side of his hips, her center landed right on top of something hard. The cotton of his boxers was still between them. The gown was lifted and tossed to the floor. The only other person that had seen her nude since she was six was Ino. She blushed feeling the gaze sweeping over her. The light was dim but he would be able to see enough to know if he liked what he saw. Her breasts weren't as large as some and she had more of an athletic shape than curvy.

She was perfect and beautiful. Her breasts were high and firm, with rosy nipples. They also fit perfectly in his palms. His thumbs raked across the tiny buds, liking how taut and hard they became at his touch. He squeezed and kneaded, "Sakura."

She licked her lips, wondering what he planned to do when he sat up towards her. Her head fell back, his mouth latched around an already sensitive nipple. The heat of his tongue, licking and pulling, was sending jolts of pleasure between her legs. The moisture was already growing, probably soaking into his boxers. She rocked against the growing length, liking the way it rubbed between her folds.

If she kept that up, it would be over before it started. He wrapped an arm around her waist to swap positions. Laying her on the mattress gently. Getting the boxers off turned out to be awkward once he got them to his knees. He had to use his feet to push them down and then off the bed.

Having him settle between her opened legs made her a little nervous. Sakura gave him a reassuring smile, she trusted him and she wanted this. Her hands found the back of his nape, pulling him down for another kiss. He was warm and solid.

She was hot and wet. It was hard to continue kissing, he almost forgot how to breathe feeling the slick folds. He felt her tense once he was positioned. There would be no getting around there being some pain, "Sorry, Sakura."

There had been no need to apologize. Sakura released her breath and hissed between her teeth. It kept her from crying out or yelling at him to stop. It had hurt worse than she had thought it would but less than she had feared. Having someone describe the act of sex hadn't prepared her for the actual sensation of having something so wide inside. She didn't know why he was waiting to move, maybe to give her a few moments to get used to it. "I'm okay."

He wasn't. Being inside felt nothing like his hand. She was even hotter inside and was tightly wrapped around him. He buried his face in her shoulder, she was trying to move beneath him. The slender hips rotated, causing him to withdraw and press back.

"Oh," that was different. Sakura moaned at the feeling being stretched stimulated. The movement was all her own doing, he didn't seem to want to continue yet. There was still some burning from the initial entry, nothing she couldn't handle. It was her first time and she would gladly accept a little bit of pain if it meant being with him. The slight sting didn't compare to the pleasure and how nice it was to have him slide back in. "Please."

"Sakura," he was going to embarrass himself. At the plea, he began moving slowly. He didn't think he could go any faster without hurting her. Every time he drove inside, she would tighten around him and cry out.

The stinging was back with him moving steadily. She dug her nails into the flexing muscles of his back. It was slow but he was going deep, he had to be at least seven or eight inches. The hard length was overwhelming, it felt wonderful. Tension was mounting and the sound of him panting into her ear was almost as exciting. She could feel something approaching. Ino had assured her she would know it when she finally had an orgasm. The ache was growing the longer he kept moving but it just stayed there, making her anxious.

He was at his end, he didn't think he could hold off any longer. Even going painfully slow and easy, it felt too good. He had the urge to take her hard and fast. Having the long legs wrap around his waist, he gave in. The nails dug hard enough to draw blood, clawing as he began to drive in and out. His balls exploded feeling the already tight walls flexing rapidly around him. With one last thrust, he collapsed on top of her.

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A little note here. I thought about how to end that fight scene and decided that they would not go after the other four. One, they already have one helpless female with them (the maid), the men would want to take the three back to where they'd be safe which would take time, then more time to follow, perhaps save them, then bring them back. Being hunted and knowing that soon the team from Konoha will catch up to them. I don't see Sasuke or Hidan agreeing to that, even if they were to ask. So them not trying to rescue them (something Naruto would want to do) wasn't from them being heartless or not caring. Just a tough choice and an act of self preservation. Okay, please review, it is inspiring and I really hope my virginy lemon wasn't horrible.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I had to move the day before xmas eve, it sucked. Where I am at the moment doesn't have the internet so updates will be once or twice a week. Thanks for the reviews, I love them. And I'm hoping the next SasxSak moment will make up for the awkward virginal first time from before. (No, its not this chapter. I'm working on it currently.) Hope everyone has a wonderful new years!

Disclaimer: Don't own it

Warnings: Language

Chapter Fourteen

"It's about damn time. What took you so long?" Naruto balled his fist and glared at the three. Leave it to Kakashi to take his time and be late. They were wasting time here. The others would be long gone before now.

Was that any way to greet someone? Kakashi ignored the question and kept in step with the other two. They were going to the Kazekage's office. They already had their orders but they wanted to speak to the Kazekage before they set off immediately. They weren't even in the office yet and he was getting yelled at. The sooner he was allowed to speak, they could depart. He ignored the ranting of the blonde to step around the waiting group and nod to the waiting two at the desk. With that much energy this early in the morning, he prayed the loudmouth had gotten some rest. "Kazekage-sama."

"Kakashi-san," Gaara greeted the shinobi he held with the highest respect. He gave a small smile towards the frowning male in green that had arrived with the three. He had been wondering why Rock Lee hadn't been with the others. "Lee-kun, how are you?"

"Kazekage-sama, we are well." Only a bit upset over this turn of events. He was also tired from not resting the last few days. As soon as it happened, he had been dispatched separately from the others to go meet up with Gai and Kakashi-sensei. He had met them halfway back to the village as instructed by the Hokage. Within moments of getting back to the village, they had been ordered to head to Suna with their orders. "Pardon my abruptness but we were told that there have been some developments."

That was his line. Gai placed a hand on the taut shoulder, hoping to lend his pupil some moral support. He could only imagine how Lee felt about this mission. All they knew was that Sakura had helped in the escape of the Uchiha. Things had moved so fast, they needed to be informed of the details. "Has there been any kind of contact. We were told that a group managed to catch up to them."

"Hai and they failed." Gaara spoke for the main group from Konoha. "I sent a group to assist in the recapture of the prisoner. There was a battle and there was casualties on both sides. I lost five of my men, one of them my former pupil. Temari's report stated that there was four at the time, including the Uchiha. However, during that battle the kunoichi, Yamanaka Ino, was slain. We have no idea where they are currently."

"What? Ino-chan, how?" Lee looked towards his friends for confirmation. No, that couldn't be right. What had happened? Was she really gone?

"My brother claims to have delivered a fatal blow during the battle." Gaara knew the others were still angry over the development. Both sides had lost someone, it was the path of the shinobi. A friend could easily become an enemy with just one order. He had a feeling that the one death would cause tension for a long time to come. "I regret that it came to that but those are the facts."

"I want to see her. To say my goodbyes." Lee couldn't believe that she was gone. He had grown close to the blonde over the years, she was a good friend. He would say his goodbyes and promise her that he would find the ones responsible. He hadn't been able to save her but he would save his Sakura.

"There is no body." Shikamaru would have his say now that the Kazekage was done speaking. "We arrived in time to assist the two survivors. We brought them and the bodies of the fallen back to Suna. There was no other bodies. Ino was nowhere to be found, she is not dead."

"Let me get this straight." Kakshi was getting confused. "You were told she was dead but you have no body? What about Sakura-chan? Where was she during all of this?"

"Protecting the Uchiha." Gaara folded his hands in his lap. "We thought perhaps Sakura-chan may have tried to heal her but Kankuro assures me that she would have died instantly. He stabbed her in the heart, a fatal blow."

"Then why take the corpse?" Gai asked to no one in particular. "The Hokage gave us new orders. We are to eliminate the escaped prisoner and to bring the two missing kunoichi back to the village. Could they tell if they were being controlled? Why else would they need her corpse?"

"You have a point." Kakashi agreed with him. He wanted to be able to bring them back safely. The Hokage believed that they were being controlled somehow. If they could find the one doing the controlling, they could save them. "The evidence indicates that they are being controlled somehow. Them taking her body confirms it. Even dead, she can be used."

"There is a chance that they were dead before. It is easier to control the dead, than someone that still has the will of life." Gaara didn't like to think that they were being used and kept from crossing over.

"Then our mission is clear."Gai was saddened at the thought. "We will hunt down the Uchiha and return with them. Either to save them or to free them. If we find our fears to be realized, they at least deserve a proper burial."

"They aren't dead." Naruto wouldn't let them talk like that. Sakura wasn't dead, he would let her be gone. This was all Sasuke's fault. He should have trusted them to stop the execution. Instead, their friends had been drug into the situation. If he had allowed them to be killed, he'd never forgive him.

"We are wasting time. We will be leaving immediately. Thank you for your assistance, Kazekage-sama." Kakashi didn't want to believe it either but they had to accept the possibilities. Two of them were his former pupils. He had been given the mission to terminate one and probably bring the other back for burial. There was little chance of them still being alive. Also, if they were alive, whoever was controlling them, would use them without concern for their lives. The fight with the sand shinobi made that much clear. "We will be splitting into two groups. My group will be heading north. Gai's group will be going north-east but will remain close. We will be keeping in contact through the new communicators. With this mission I believe we need to appoint two second-in-command. I will take Shikamaru as mine."

"Lee will be mine." Gai wanted Lee with him.

"Alright, keep communication to minimum. I'll take Naruto, Hinata and Choji as well. That leaves you with Kiba, Shino and Tenten. Kiba will be of use with Akamaru and Shino can help you if there is any chakra trail." Kakashi also wanted to keep Naruto with him. They would both have an emotional pupil on their hands once the time came. He had once prepared himself to take Sasuke's life, he would do so again. He mainly feared discovering that they would not be able to bring Sakura home. To lose a friend was one thing, to lose the woman you loved, it was a greater blow. "We will meet up once we can confirm where they are headed."

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The humidity was getting worse. It wasn't a dry heat but the kind that made one feel sticky. Sakura could only imagine how Ino felt with the temperature. They had been running since noon and night was fast approaching. The men had decided that it was best to continue through the night. They had lost some time from their break and by now Konoha had to be back on their trail. They had also left evidence of their passing, in the form of three bodies. There was little chance a passerby would take the time to bury them. Not that she cared, it just meant they couldn't slack off. What she wanted more than anything was a bath. The sweat had collected beneath her breasts. They were out of Wind but not before a mountain of dust had blown up her shirt to attack her skin. She was sure if she were to run a hand beneath her boob it would smell like salt and vinegar chips.

"You look as horrible as I feel." Ino spoke between them, keeping it low enough so that the other two couldn't hear. Sasuke was in the lead, followed by Hidan and they were taking up the rear. Her eyes went to the gold band around the finger. Sasuke had made sure to do the ceremony properly, despite it being rushed. Both of them were wearing matching rings, it was sweet. "Married life not agreeing with you?"

"I've only been married for eight hours." And she couldn't complain with the outcome. They had left the village as soon as it had been performed. What was getting to her was the lack of sleep, not her marital status.

"How was your first time?" Ino wanted to know, she had to know. It was Sasuke, the boy they had fought over and many girls had wanted. She didn't want him but she wanted to make sure her friend wasn't stuck with someone that was self-centered when it came to sex. She wasn't an expert herself but if they couldn't discuss their sex-lives, what kind of best friends were they?

Uh, what could she say? Sakura didn't want to complain about him because she had enjoyed it but it hadn't been the long marathon that she had heard the other night from next door. "It was nice."

"Nice? Did you get off? I didn't hear it so how long? How many times?" Ino didn't see them as being loud as her but if not for the way they were acting towards each other, she wouldn't have known that they had crossed that line.

"Yes, I did but it was kind of quick and just the once." Was that a bad thing? She didn't think so but it had been her first time. "Is that bad?"

"Nah, don't worry about it." Ino waved her hand to dust away the thought. "It was your first time and I'm sure it was his too. The only way he would have lasted would be if you were loose or he has been hiding a few affairs. Besides, consider what we know of Sasuke. Hell, you're the only person I've ever seen him show any kind of emotion towards that wasn't friendly. Honestly, I knew I had lost our wager during the Chuunin exams. You are the only girl he has ever let hold onto him. I saw it then and I'm happy for you."

"Thank you," Sakura was glad that Ino wasn't upset over how things turned out. The blonde seemed happy with her own husband. She liked to think that the reason he had married her, was because she was special to him.

"Don't worry about the sexual stuff. It'll happen over time. You're both new to it, I'm just lucky that I married someone with a lot of experience. It'll just take some time for you two to get better acquainted sexually. The more you two are together, he'll build up stamina. The important thing is that you enjoyed it and if he can get you off, then it'll be fine. Besides, Sasuke doesn't strike me as the kind of man to do things half-assed, including sex." Ino would have been worried if her friend would have complained about being taken then left disappointed. They'd be alright and she would be there to make sure no one tried to tear them apart. Hidan might not care to stay with them but he'd do what she wanted.

"Hmm, do you have any advice to give?" Sakura was alright with everything, she was happy to be with him.

"Excuse me? What do I look like? I don't have that much more experience than you." Ino wasn't sure what to tell her. Hidan was the one in control during their sex, she just let him take the lead. Sakura didn't have that option since they were both inexperienced. "Next time, just take your time to explore and see what he likes. Start with some touching or just go down on him."

"I don't know how to do that." She didn't know how to pleasure a guy with her mouth. "Have you done it?"

"No, but I can tell you what I read about it. Considering who wrote it, it may not be good information, but I'll tell you." Ino had gotten bored during a mission and slipped through one of Kakashi-sensei's Icha Icha. "Supposedly, the best way to do it is to…"

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The faint scent of Sakura was the strongest in one spot. The most telling evidence was the piece of hair stuck on the fallen log. Kiba picked up the strand, before handing it to Lee. "It is very faint but they were here a few days ago. Sasuke was still with them at this point but I can't detect the others."

"What about Ino-chan?" Gai examined the fire pit. They had taken the time to start a fire and rest. Was it to give the injured kunoichi time to recover? Or had they buried her?

"There are two other scents, one is similar to Ino-chan's but we can't be sure." Kiba ran a hand over the patch of grass. There could only be one reason for her scent to become so musky.

"Can you tell which way they went?" Gai looked around the abandoned camp. It was a start, they could assume which way.

"No, there is no longer any trace of their chakra. With the rain that swept through, their scent is probably gone. The only reason Akamaru can detect it in this spot is because she most likely slept here." Shino couldn't detect anything but the fleeing group had a few days on them. "What do you suggest?"

"We will continue in this direction. I'll inform Kakashi about what we found. He said they are heading to the nearest village. There is a chance they stopped for supplies." Gai relayed the information to his rival, making sure to inform them that there had been no signs of burial and there was a chance Ino-chan was still among the group.

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This is a needed filler chapter, sorry! But please review, I just lost my job (blah) but it does give me time to work on this fic.

Review, review, I said Review dammit! Just kidding!


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Sorry for the long wait on the update. I tried to come up here and update last week but the site would not let me manage my stories, My daughter tried to do hers as well and she had the same issue, so lets hope it is fixed. Also, I am clumsy I just spilled my tea with the use of my laptop. Now my daughter says she can't update her Back In Time fic, because she is scared to put her laptop on the table near me. Just kidding, she is going to update because I warned her that I was going to inform everyone that she is hoarding chapters, like a good review whore. Mwhahahaha!

Another little announcement, I tried to figure out a way I could slow down the group, can't have them running off and never being found again. So I tried to put in something that could add a little bit of humor. Hope you enjoy! I'll update in a week as long as I am able.

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Warnings: Language and Death

Chapter Fifteen

The sun was high in the sky, beating down on the group of four. The two females were busy trailing behind while speaking in hushed tones. Sasuke was content to allow them some time alone to talk, it's what females did. Hidan seemed more than happy to be far enough away not to be drawn into the discussion. While the ass end was filled with chatter, the front was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Or a blood-curdling scream.

"What the hell was that?" Ino stopped in her treks, next to Sakura. All four of them were listening intently for a hint of where the sound had come from. It had been so loud it had echoed around them. The birds had scattered, taking flight.

"A fucking bitch scream." Hidan thought it was obvious as to what it had been. What they didn't know was why or where. His remark earned him a glare, for telling the truth. Couldn't please her for shit. He shrugged, ready to continue on. "It's not our problem, I say we go."

"And I say no! What if someone needs help?" Sakura had felt a sense of terror fill her stomach at the shout. Someone was in trouble and was close. They had to see what it was, they couldn't just walk away. What kind of person was he?

"Why the fuck should we care? Do you think they'd stop to help us once Konoha catches up and tries to cart your little bitch husband back to the damn gallows?" Hidan didn't want to waste time helping someone that would probably turn around and give the pursuing group a finger in the correct direction. They should keep moving, it was all about self-preservation.

"Sakura's right, we can't just walk away. That was a feminine scream, let's go check it out. I'm guessing it came from the east. Let's go." Ino sped off with her friend, the other two could come or leave. They'd catch up after seeing what was going on. What if it was normal civilians in trouble? They may be rogue-nin but that didn't mean they had to act heartless. She almost laughed when the two males followed anyways.

Another delay. Sasuke wasn't going to argue with them. He had grown up with the females, he knew better. He'd leave the stupidity to Hidan, he wasn't foolish enough to try to change their minds once they had it made up. One would be hard enough, the two together was impossible. It would be like trying to move a hill backed by a mountain, not happening. What could it hurt? Probably just someone lost and being attacked by a dog.

There was also a part of him that wanted to indulge her somewhat. Sasuke let his gaze land on the gloved hands. Beneath was his ring, the symbol of their marriage. Knowing that he could have easily died at the hands of his village, being pursued by those he once considered allies, had him wanting to savor the one positive thing he had in his life. He had no clan, no family, no home and no longer had the motivation for revenge to drive him. All he had was her and he realized that she was enough. That was the motivation he needed to keep her safe and at his side. If she wanted to inspect the noise, he'd follow. It wasn't the wisest course of action, but it wouldn't hurt anything.

What he did see upon arrival made him want to vomit. They all took in the scene playing out in the small clearing. Six bodies were littered upon the ground. Three male, three female and all were adults. Standing wounded, in a defensive stance was an older male. With that many wounds, another minute and he'd succumb to death.

"Trackers," Hidan recognized the sort. The two opponents were standing opposite, unscathed. He had fought a few, they had thought to collect the bounty on his head. Wait, his eyes narrowed down at the sash the largest man was wearing. What were the odds? The man looked odd without his beard, but there was no mistaking the large burn on the forehead. That fuck had the second highest bounty, his former partner had often creamed about the chance of turning him in.

"Do something, or we will! Those are kids," Sakura couldn't believe that someone could be so cruel. From what Kakashi-sensei had said, trackers went after rogues, not innocents. Why would they slaughter an entire family?

"Hai, see to the old man." Sasuke didn't want them getting involved in the fight. Trackers weren't known to be easy opponents. He stepped out of the foliage before Hidan, by a mere second. The three males turned at the interruption. The old man had to be in his sixties, if not older. The only reason he seemed to be standing is so he wouldn't fall back and crush the toddler hanging to his leg.

"You there, I insist you depart immediately. This is official business," the shortest one spoke towards them.

"Don't be too hasty," the one Hidan recognized but couldn't recall the name interrupted. "That one there, with the long face. I recognize that one and I say we've been blessed with a golden opportunity. He is worth tens times the amount of the old man."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, he even has the large scythe he's been rumored to carry. I say we kill the two and see what we can get for them."

Sakura went around and exited closer to the old man that was now kneeling. Her entrance only warranted a snort from the two trackers. She rushed to the old man to keep him from hitting the ground. There was a lot of blood, "I got you."

"My grandson."

"Ino," she couldn't do anything with the baby clinging to him. The poor thing was frightened but in the way. The blonde reached down to grab the toddler, it screamed at being drug from the only familiar face. The old man was coughing, sending blood everywhere. "Hold still, I need to see where the damage is."

"Ouch! He's pulling my hair!" Ino knew she sounded pathetic and probably stupid to boot. Their husbands had begun fighting not even twenty feet away and here she was being bested by someone still in diapers.

"Deal with it." Sakura couldn't count the many wounds and how many organs had been struck. She had no idea how the old man had been standing or still breathing. She wouldn't be able to heal everything in time to keep him from dying. There was too much damage and he had already lost too much blood.

"I'm done for." The old man smiled when she tried to start healing his lungs. "Don't waste your energy, it's too severe. I always knew I'd be caught one day. My family, they paid for my past mistakes. The grandbabies, see to them. Their parents are gone, promise me."

"I promise." Sakura didn't think he got to hear it before he released his last breath. His eyelids closed and he was gone. The man had let death come with the hopes they'd finish doing the right thing.

"Oh my god, Sakura get this thing." Ino couldn't believe they had given her such an opponent. She'd rather take on a tracker. What the hell was wrong with this kid? She had to hold it under both arms and away from her to keep from being injured. It was kicking and wailing like a wildcat. The old man had to get up and take it. "He's pissing me off."

"Give him here." Sakura couldn't believe her. She was acting like an idiot and it was only a baby. The poor thing couldn't be no more than fifteen months old. It could barely walk, much less do any damage. The baby still whimpered but allowed her to grab him.

"Did he really just die?" Ino groaned seeing the destruction around them. The bodies had been mutilated. The only one with a weapon had been the old man, they had been unharmed. She hoped their husbands didn't show any mercy. Well, hers was already in the process of starting his ritual and Sasuke seemed to be studying his opponent. In that minute the battle had moved another twenty feet away. They were moving it away from them, "What are you going to do with him?"

"Try to calm him. Search for the others, he said babies. That means there is at least one more around here. Hopefully, they didn't manage to kill it." Sakura placed the toddler against her chest and turned him away from the massacre. He was too young to remember but she didn't want to risk it giving him nightmares. It was a good thing he was too young to realize what it meant.

"Are you serious?" What kind of family traveled without protection? Ino knew it were ones that couldn't afford to hire shinobi or ones that had a rogue-nin as the elder. What else could he have meant? It may have taken his former village decades but he had been found. They had just been slack enough to allow the man time to have a family. And slack enough to allow her own husband to toy with one of their shinobi. Was it really necessary to repeatedly stab himself in the leg? She'd have to heal that or they'd be forced to wait for him to heal on his own. Where else could a baby be? There was no other toddler running around here or had it ran off? The light muffled sounds of whimpering drew her attention to a corpse. The woman had long silver hair and was leaning towards the side. She had her arms cradled in front of her.

Pushing the weight back, she found the second. It was smaller than the first and being carried in a harness. By some miracle when the blade had passed through the woman's body it had managed to miss the infant. "Found it and I think we should swap. This one is way too little for me. I'll break it."

"Deal, Pig. He doesn't like you." Sakura was getting him to finally calm down and handing him back over to Ino might not be a good idea. She used her foot to nudge the other corpses to make sure they weren't hiding anything small and fragile.

Fine, she'd get it. Ino untied the harness and slid the baby out to inspect it. It was staring up at her, a tiny fist waved in the air. She couldn't tell what it was at first glance. The sleeper was white with tiny specks of blood tainting the material. It did have a thin layer of silver hair starting to grow from the head. The age was probably about four months. Blue eyes blinked as she examined it, "I think she managed to shield it from being hurt. It's actually kind of cute."

"It looks like Hidan. Sure your husband didn't step out on you?" Sakura ignored the snarling. The baby had to look like its mother, just like the one in her arms did. One of the slain women had red hair, same as the toddler in her arms. It meant they weren't siblings, just related. Probably cousins. The three males that were dead all resembled the older one, his sons?

"I wonder what you are. I'm going to check the plumbing." Ino carried it over towards the abandoned wagon. There were supplies, clothes and equipment in the back. Not wanting to put it the dirty surface, she dug through a bag and withdrew a blanket. It was placed down on the cloth, "Come here, Forehead."

"Coming," she had been watching Sasuke finish off the shortest tracker. That fight was over and he was coming away with a single scratch on his shoulder. She'd heal it later, after she tended to their problem. Ino was digging through a bag, pulling out clothes. "Can you find something for it?"

"If it is a girl, then yes." Ino pulled out a tiny pink sleeping gown. Just to make sure that there was not another baby around missing a penis, she took off the soiled clothing to check. "Bingo, we have a girl. She's adorable."

"See what else you can find. We will need some clothes, supplies and I need to see if they had a sling for him." Sakura doubted it since they were travelling with a wagon. He was old enough to sit down but the baby had to be carried.

"Any survivors?" Sasuke sheathed his sword as he walked up to the two. Their backs were turned and they appeared to be digging through the family's belongings. Ino was tossing clothes into a pile on the ground. What was she looking for?

"Hai, look!" Sakura laughed at the shock and uncertainty. The boy was starting to doze off on her chest, happy with his new position. "At least mine isn't as young as Ino's."

"You are taking them with us?" Was that wise? Children would only slow them down. He didn't mind children in general, he even wanted his own. But they were on the run. Taking a child along would be dangerous. "There is more than one?"

"Eat me, Forehead. I got the girl, so she'll be less trouble by default. Besides, you kind of look like your new daddy. Don't you?" That got her a toothless smile. The baby would probably spit up on her if she had any idea what was being said. "We will need to split up the supplies between all four bags. I'd suggest putting the clothes in theirs and the milk and food in ours."

"Can you help her?" Sakura pleaded with him to see what else they could find. He jumped up into the back of the wagon, making sure not to rattle the baby that was in the process of being changed. There were three bags with clothing. They would need baby clothes, nothing else. Maybe a few blankets and spit rags. "Also, we will need bottles."

"Water too, if they have powder. Watch her for a moment," Ino left Sakura to watch the baby in order to walk over to the mother's corpse. The sling was homemade but would work for now. "Also, see if there is something we can use to make Sakura a sling."

A sling? Like the thing Ino was placing the smallest one inside? It looked like she had a large potato sack hanging from her chest. That couldn't be comfortable. Were they really going to carry the babies to the next village? "How much will you need to make it to the next village?"

"Enough food to the next village but as much clothes as we can get. We can stock up on more supplies once we stop there." It was over two days away and she didn't want them to go hungry. Sakura was sure that the toddler had some teeth so he could eat some solid foods but the baby would be strictly on milk.

Stock up. That meant they would be keeping them past the next village. Sasuke stopped digging through the bags to look at her. "Sakura, how long are you going to carry it with you? Wouldn't it be wiser to drop it somewhere safe at the next village?"

"It would be, but I'm not going to." Sakura tightened her hold on the tiny head resting against her breast. That man had been wanted, just like them. He had obviously turned his life around and had a family. She had promised that she'd take care of his grandchildren. Her opinion of taking care of didn't mean dropping them off like the stork. How could she be sure that they'd be given to a good family? Or not turned into orphans? That would be almost as cruel as taking a boot to their head. "I promised him that I'd make sure they were taken care of. There is no way to guarantee that they'll be treated properly if we just drop them off. We don't exactly have the time to search for good parents."

"True but are you sure? They will be a liability." They would get in a way during battle. It would be one more person for him to protect. He was sure Hidan would back up his protests if they man weren't busy being a sadistic bastard. The man was pleading for his death in the distance. "Sakura?"

"I know but we can't just abandon them, I'll take care of him." Sakura was glad he consented by searching through a box. He began placing clean bottles onto the blanket still on the floorboard. There was a bag of baby biscuits, two cans of powdered milk, two jugs of water and a pack of diapers.

He saw nothing resembling a sling. The best he could do was make one out of one of the oversized shirts. The arms holes were wide enough to allow his legs to fit through, "you'll have to knot it for the time being. We'll have to search for something better in the next village."

"Alright, can you tie it off for me?" She wanted her hands free in case of an emergency. It was shitty looking but would work. He finished cutting the cotton while Ino did the packing. She noticed that the toddler's belongings were placed in Sasuke's bag. The four blankets were split between them. "I'll need help getting him in."

He didn't know how to do that. He climbed out of the wagon to land next to her. The toddler looked perfectly happy sleeping on her chest. Sasuke slide the short legs through the holes and helped her get the material up. The straps he'd made were laced around her neck and back, "Will that be sturdy enough for now?"

"It should work. Although, I'm sure now he has air flying up his diaper." He had on a sleeper so that didn't matter if the neck hole was at his crotch. The point was that his bottom was being supported as well. "Thanks, Sasuke."

"What the fuck are you doing with that?" Hidan eyed the small bundle attached to his wife's chest. Was that a tiny hand fisting the end of the blonde hair? Where had she gotten it?

"What the fuck are you doing with that?" She mimicked him and pointed to the corpse he was dragging behind him. Ino pointed out that she was carrying an extra twenty pounds, he had about three hundred. It was better to take a live baby than a dead asshole.

"Well, I was going to suggest we take this fuck and turn him in. He's worth a lot of money dead." It rubbed him wrong to worry about the money but he was trying to be realistic. They would be needing more to survive.

"How much?" Sasuke knew of the occupation. Orochimaru had once mentioned it, "How long would it take?"

"The turn in is about three days out of the way. Let's say we wouldn't have to worry about funds for a long time, if we were to turn him in. Not usually my style but we will need more if we want to survive." Hidan glanced at the two extra additions. "Now, what the fuck is that thing?"

"It's a baby, you idiot. We are taking them along with us. Don't object, I'm not in the mood. Don't say we can't afford it, you're going to turn that corpse in." Ino walked over to retrieve the bag from his back. She needed to put the baby's clothes inside. Hers already had a few bottles and the milk.

"You're going to keep it?" What the hell? When had this been decided? He left for fifteen minutes and he came back to find out that she had decided to get a kid without him. Wasn't that supposed to be a joint decision? The Uchiha wasn't arguing either, he was busy being a bitch and gently placing some kind of food into his woman's bag.

"I am, and it's a girl. I'll take care of her," Ino closed the bag and indicated for him to turn back around. If they could lug a corpse around, they could lug children.

"Fine, but you know they will slow us down." Hidan was glad the Uchiha agreed with him there. They had a few days on their pursuers but that distance wouldn't last if they had to stop constantly to tend to babies. What if they had to hide? One of them would start crying. "Whatever. If you're keeping it, she will be raised properly."

"Alright, but you got to help change the diapers." She would agree to raise her as a Jashinist as long as he knew that he wouldn't be training her to kill. Girls didn't need to behave so wild. Any sons they had, he could instruct.

"I'm not changing any fucking diapers. You can leave it here, I'm not smelling shit. Bad enough I'll have to lug this stinky ass corpse for a few days." Hidan wasn't changing diapers, feeding, burping or soothing.

"I second that." Sasuke would indulge her in this but he wasn't changing any diapers. Support them, yes. Lie for her, yes. Kill for her, yes. Change a shitty diaper, hell no. He would have to agree that it was woman's work. "I'll take point."

"Okay, Hidan can take the rear." Sakura didn't want to be constantly looking at a dead body. By the time they reached their destination, it would be stinking. The ghastly man had a point, they would be needing what they could get.

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Sakura felt somewhat guilty about leaving the other tent. Ino assured her that it was fine to leave the toddler. Hidan was taking watch tonight. Not only did he have to make sure they weren't ambushed, someone had to make sure scavengers didn't take their payday. Ino had offered to watch both children tonight so she could have alone time with her husband. The next night, she would do the same. It would be nice once they could settle somewhere and didn't have to worry about watching over their backs constantly.

It was quiet inside their tent, she could see the outline where he lay. They had kept moving last night and all day today. Her legs felt like rubber and her back was hurting her. Ino had it easier, in some ways. The baby forced them to stop more often but the girl was lighter to carry.

"How is your back?" Sasuke watched the outline of her slowly removing the clothing. Since she came in alone, Ino must be keeping the toddler for the night. He appreciated it. He had offered to carry the boy this morning but it had cried when he had tried to take him. It had latched onto Sakura's shirt and refused to let go. A groan was his answer. "Leave your shirt off and come lay down."

Everything was taken off except for her panties. There was a chill in the air from the drop in temperature. She quickly climbed underneath the covers. The heat from his body was glorious. It felt good against her skin, "Sorry, that it took so long."

"Don't apologize. Lay on your stomach, I'll see what I can do for your back." Sasuke shifted the cover to let her roll easily. Carrying a fidgeting toddler couldn't be easy. He had to give it to her, she had the patience to be a good mother. Shockingly, Ino hadn't shown any trouble with dealing with a small baby. The blonde had never struck him as being motherly.

"Eh," he was naked. She almost jumped out from beneath him feeling skin on skin. His bunched up shirt was put beneath her cheek for a pillow. It smelt like him, with a hint of sweat. A month ago if someone would have told her that Sasuke would one night be sitting naked on her ass, she would have told Tsunade to commit them. "Are you sure you're okay with bringing them along?"

"It is what you want." There wasn't much light inside the small tent. He would have liked to clearly see her face. She didn't protest to his weight or to his state of undress. His hands went to the tense shoulders first. "Besides, there is a good chance that old man was from a clan. With the way they made sure to slaughter the entire family, it was most likely the case. If he had abandoned his clan, they would want to ensure that their secrets didn't fall into anyone's hands. If he did somehow possess a Kekkai Genkai, that trait could have been passed onto his children and their children. Why else would they bother with killing innocents?"

"Ummm, that feels good." She hadn't thought about that part of it. Her mind had been on the fate of those poor kids that had been orphaned. His hands were doing wonders, the ache was quickly leaving. "Thank you, for supporting my decision."

"Like I'd try to argue with you and Ino both. I'm not the dobe." Bringing up their old teammate brought up mixed feelings. "You know, he'll never stop until he finds you. Most likely Konoha has given the orders for my immediate assassination. They will try to take you and Ino back. If it ever comes to that, I forced you."

"I'm not going back. I'm staying with you." Konoha was no longer her home, it was with him. The hands were moving to the knots below her shoulders.

That was his wish also, "I understand. However, Naruto is still in love with you. No doubt he has placed all the blame of your disappearance on me. If it comes between you or me, who do you think he'd fight for? If it meant getting you back, he wouldn't hesitate to fight me to the death. Our friendship is weak at best, the past has seen to that. You on the other hand, have been a constant light in his world. He will do his best to reclaim it and destroy the one that tried to extinguish it."

Would the day come when her former teammates would be forced to fight? The idea made her ill. She didn't want to be caught, yet she didn't want to have to fight anyone she cared for. When the time came, would she be forced to make a difficult decision? "Can you go lower?"

"How is this?" His thumbs raked over the dip in her spine. The cotton panties were beneath his palm now. If she had noticed his lack of control, she was ignoring it or just too polite to comment upon it. "The day may come when I will be forced to fight him and the others."

The raw emotions laced each word. Sakura got up on her elbows and spun around, going to her back. Was he worried about what would happen when and if they were forced to confront their friends? "If that day comes, we will deal with it. Don't forget, you aren't alone."

"Sakura," he braced his weight on both hands, not wanting to crush her with his weight. She initiated the kiss, pulling his head down. There was nothing tentative about the way she tried to take possession of his mouth. Her tongue invaded, eliciting a pleased sigh. Although already wed, he still had concerns on wanting physical relations. It wasn't exactly the right time to be indulging in it and he would prefer if their emotional relationship was more secure. He brought his right hand between them to place the palm on her rib cage. This time if it were possible, he wanted to take the time to explore a bit.

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Please review... Next chapter, like I need to say what is going to happen.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Next chapter is up. It isn't as long as it should be but I just updated four of my fics today, three others besides this one. Yeah, I have no life at the moment. Anyways, before reading I just want to throw the reminder that in recent chapters, that Sakura kicked Ino in the face busting her nose and her lip. Just so the lower half of the chapter doesn't cause confusion. Oh, and she was also stabbed when the one lug was carrying her. Please enjoy the update and review for me.

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Warnings: Sexual Content, Oral, Language and Stupidity

Chapter Sixteen

"Sasuke!" The heat of his mouth was trailing down her stomach. Hands were pulling down the panties she had left on. The soft kisses ended long enough for him to lean up and remove the last garment from her legs. The calloused palms cupped her breasts and his tongue continued its exploration around her navel. How far was he going to go? Ino had tried to explain a few things about oral sex but she wasn't sure if she'd be any good at it or if Sasuke had ever done it before. He didn't hesitate before placing an open mouth kiss on the top of her mound.

He waited for any sign that she wasn't comfortable with his exploration. He gave the pebbled nipples one last tug, then brought both arms down. A gentle kiss was placed upon the plump lips. A finger was used to run along the slit, parting the folds enough that he could feel the wetness starting to gather.

The ache was almost a burning sensation, wanting more than what he was doing. Sakura closed her eyes and concentrated on nothing but the finger. It was replaced by a thumb, running over her opening then further up. She couldn't control the whimper that escaped when it ran along the hidden nerve. Again, he ran the pad in a circular motion across her clit.

Her hips jerked the longer he toyed with the small nub. He removed his thumb to run his tongue along the slit, dipping deeper when he reached the spot. Fingers latched onto his hair as he tested the many reactions. Swiping his tongue across it caused her to moan lightly. Moving in it a hard circular movement had her clenching at his hair. He closed his mouth and sucked on it gently.

"Sasuke!" Sakura tried to move his head away, the unexpected pleasure had the knot tightening until it was unbearable. What he was doing felt so good, she was torn between making him stop and shoving his head closer. The need for more had her hands pushing his head closer and her hips lifting from the blanket.

The way she was moaning and trying to ride his face had to be one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Her head was thrown back, her breasts were jutting upwards, and the pale pink mouth was constantly sighing his name. He continued to suckle on the nerve and running his tongue lightly across it. The hand that had been resting next to her thigh was moved. He ran the tip of a finger along the soaked folds. It easily sank between them and deep into the hot opening.

The tension broke having the single finger slowly caressing inside. Sakura was sure she'd lose consciousness when it broke. It wracked through her lower half, tightening around the finger that had begun thrusting in and out. As she came down from the high, she noticed immediately how sensitive it made the area he was still sucking on. It was so sensitive she tried to buck into the mouth. "Please!"

He backed away to notice that her thighs were shaking and her face was flushed. The evidence of her orgasm covered the finger he used to align himself. He held himself over her, hoping she was ready. Putting a single digit was still a lot easier than getting his cock inside. She whimpered and grabbed onto his shoulders.

Sakura bit down on her lips at how much different it felt this time. There was no pain from the entry, only intense pressure from being stretched. The feeling was still a bit odd, having her insides filled with something so hard. The slight sting at the opening was the only complaint as he began to move. The pleasure quickly overrode the small ache of not being accustomed to the girth.

The pressure on his cock felt just as good as the first time, even better. Slick heat encased him like a glove, bringing the need to a blazing pitch. The need to cum was strong but he continued the slow pace to keep from going over. He wanted to feel her tighten around him, to finish with him. She gave him the idea by lifting her knee to hug his hip. There was no protest to him leaning back and using both of his hands to cup her legs behind each knee and forcing them towards her chest. She surprised him by stretching out both slender legs and placing her feet on his shoulders.

"Oh Gods!" Sakura clenched her fists as he came down to fill her. The penetration was tighter and he went so deep. The twisted expression covering his face, the fast panting, she didn't want to ask him to stop. Over and over, he drove into her. The heat in her centered flared with every thrust.

He cried out each time he sank in to the hilt. If it was hurting her, she didn't react to it. Blood was dripping from the lip she had bitten down on in the vain attempt to keep from being loud. Sasuke could feel the tight walls starting to clench around him. He went to lean completely over her, in order to use more force and speed. The sound of him filling her echoed in the small tent, overshadowed by her screams. The tension broke a split second after she begun to spasm around him. She was sobbing by the time he finished releasing.

"Ugh!" Her legs were aching when he helped to move them down and under him. His elbows were being used in order not to crush her. That had been, wow. She couldn't suppress the giggle knowing that there was no way they hadn't been heard.

"I hope it isn't my performance you're laughing at." Sasuke was still trying to catch his breath.

His heartbeat was racing against his chest. Arms were thrown around his neck, bringing his mouth down for a kiss.

"Never, but I'm thinking we may have disturbed our neighbors." She could faintly make out Ino's voice trying to calm down someone. Most likely one of the little ones. Hidan should be outside by the fire, like a good boy. "Don't move, I like you there."

"Then why are you wincing?" He saw the pain flash through her eyes when he pulled out. Had he been too rough on her?

"Because we haven't been intimate enough for me to be accustomed to it. You're not exactly average either." She was positive that fully hard, he was between eight and nine. It would take a while before she would go without some slight discomfort.

"I'll take that as a compliment and I think I should allow you to get some sleep. Hidan will have us up at dawn. He wants to get rid of that corpse." He settled down next to her on his back. She flipped onto her stomach and placed her head on his shoulder. Having her using him as a pillow would take getting used to. He didn't seem to mind whenever she would cuddle up close to him. In the morning their limbs would be entwined. The idea of waking up with any other female snuggling next to him, caused him to frown. He couldn't imagine anyone but Sakura at his side.

"Kay," she could already feel sleep creeping up on her. The top blanket was pulled up to cover them. She took comfort in the hand gently caressing her shoulder and let herself doze off.

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"What do you see, Shino?" Lee felt disgust seeing the bugs crawling around the rotting corpse. Whoever had done the damage hadn't shown any mercy. The other body was intact but clearly decaying. Someone had purposely torn the man apart after he had been dead. Either when his torso was torn in half or when his head had been lopped off.

"That's right, it is distorted from the weather but it looks like the correct symbol." Gai walked around his apprentice to examine the written symbol on the ground. He'd leave the other corpse to Shino's bugs to inspect. Even his stomach was but so solid. The leaves had been smashed from something when the cryptic drawing had been made. If it was the one they sought, Shikamaru said the man liked to make it with the use of his feet. A shoe could have clearly made the design. He removed his finger from the ear piece after relaying the information to Team One.

"What killed this one?" Lee leaned over to look at the largest victim. He had blood coming out of every orifice but there were no actual wounds that he could see. There had been signs of others but they had followed this one because this trail had several pieces of Ino's hair. The abandoned wagon also had her blood inside.

"Shikamaru says it sounds like the one called Hidan's ritual." Gai hoped the man hadn't suffered greatly. He was sure the other had begged for death, if all that damage hadn't been done at the same time.

Shino frowned as he examined the findings. "This one was actually sliced apart with one single attack. Everyone wound was inflicted at the same time. He never knew what hit him. The chakra belongs to Sasuke Uchiha."

"Then the two are still travelling together. That only leaves the question as to why we found the blood in the back of that wagon." Gai had already informed the other team of their first discovery. If the girl was still bleeding, she was still alive. Had the two females been taken? Akamaru and Kiba could faintly smell Sakura on some of the straw. Both girls had been in the back of that wagon. "There is a chance that both of them tried to escape and sought refuge with these people. Hidan and Sasuke most likely caught up to them and they tried to run for it."

"Yes, that has to be it, Gai-sensei. Sakura-chan is trying to get away and we've come too late to help." Lee was sure that his Sakura was trying to flee. If only they hadn't wasted so much time.

"That is what the tracks are suggesting." Tenten was walking towards them, wiping her hands. She had stayed back noticing the stain on the ground, mixed with blood. It had dried but it was lumpy. The food had dried out but it was clearly vomit. "Sakura and Ino were in that wagon most of the way. From the blood and the vomit, I'd suggest that Ino isn't holding up well."

"There is also some of Ino's blood on this man." Kiba couldn't smell any blood from Sakura, so she wasn't injured. "It looks like they were trying to carry them to safety when the others caught up to them. They died for it."

"There are tracks leading back to the village, should we follow those as well?" Tenten didn't think they were still in that village. They would have most likely moved on.

"Hold!" Gai held up his hand hearing his rival speaking over the earpiece. "Copy that, Kakashi. We shall see you in under an hour."

"What did Kakashi-sensei have to say?" Lee was ready to get moving. How much further could they be? They had to be closing in on the group. If there was another chance for Sakura and Ino to escape, they needed to find them.

"They've caught a trail leading northwest from the village. We are going to meet up with them as soon as we bury the bodies." Gai figured they deserved a proper burial and not left to continue rotting above ground.

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Next Chapter: A nasty confrontation... Please review


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